


A Meeting Of Hearts

by Daydreamer



Series: The Healing Of Hearts [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Drama, Humor, Illnesses, M/M, Medical, Prequel, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-16
Updated: 2012-11-24
Packaged: 2017-11-14 08:39:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daydreamer/pseuds/Daydreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto Uzumaki has lived with a weak heart since he was five years old. Following the death of his grandfather, he decides it's time to find a new cardiologist. After being thrown out of a doctor's office, he meets Sasuke Uchiha, a man who will break through the barrier he has put up to protect his already weak heart from being broken. Prequel to The Gift</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kellerkind](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Kellerkind).



> This is a prequel to The Gift. It was commissioned by Kellerkind on Ygal and will be two parts. I'll have part two up in a couple of days.

Naruto Uzumaki's eyes stared up at the tall building comprised mostly of doctor's offices. Most people probably dreaded stepping into anywhere near one of these buildings with signs telling of the variety of doctors housed inside. After a lifetime spent in various doctor's offices and hospitals, he was immune to the fear brought on by such places. His grandpa, Jiraiya, had always said he couldn't tell if Naruto was brave or just stupid.

"Damn, I miss that old pervert." Naruto sighed heavily. The old man had taken him in when his parents were killed in a car accident. There was no telling what a shithole his life would be if not for Jiraiya.

Until age five, Naruto had been a normal toddler and child. He had started kindergarten and been a normal, rambunctious boy until contracting a virus that caused the muscle of his heart to become inflamed. The result had left him with a severely weakened heart. He didn't remember much of those days other than long stints spent in the hospital and being forced to drink terrible tasting medication.

Jiraiya had stuck by him even during those days when the hospital bills piled up. Until six months ago, the two of them had been nearly inseparable. It was bitter irony that his grandfather should die of a sudden heart attack while he had lived with a damaged heart for nearly twenty years.

Shaking his head, he spread a broad smile on his face and moved through the doors. It was time to move onto a new doctor. His previous cardiologist was an idiot. It was a wonder the man had passed medical school, much less the licensing exam. The only thing going for him was that he was cheap. With the state his heart was in and no education higher than high school, it became difficult to find a job that would take on a sickly employee. There were days he could barely get out of bed. If he became stressed, his heart would go into palpitations, requiring him to sit down and rest for an undetermined amount of time.

To fill the void, he volunteered at the suicide help line. It was a sit down job and allowed him to feel as if he was doing something for the community, even if he was not paid for it. Everyone he worked with said he was a miracle worker, using humor to bring callers out of the danger zone.

Now, with the little bit of insurance money left over and selling the small house he was raised in, he figured he might be able to afford someone who would actually help him out. Jiraiya had not been rich, but the royalties from his books, even after his death, still provided enough for Naruto to reside in a small apartment and buy groceries. He wasn't eating prime rib every night, but he got by just fine.

As he walked slowly across the lobby, he sent a longing look toward the doorway leading to the stairs. It was not that he particularly wanted to climb stairs; he simply wanted to have that option open to him. Living life going at a walk while his soul wanted to be at a run was a painful experience. There were times he wondered how Jiraiya did it, keeping him calm for so many years. He had not been the most passive of children.

As he walked into the office labeled Itachi Uchiha, MD. The interior was more posh than anything he had ever seen. A handful of plush chairs were tastefully arranged. The art on the walls was real and not cheap prints bought in Pier One. It was the most upscale doctor's office he had ever seen.

All his internet research pointed overwhelmingly to Itachi Uchiha being the best in his field. He was considered a master at diagnosing and treating heart related illnesses. When Naruto saw his name come up time and again, he knew that was the man he wanted for his doctor.

"May I help you?" asked a woman with an elegant updo seated behind a desk. She spoke with a slightly nasal tone, as if trying to appear a higher class than she was.

Naruto could practically see her gauging his clothes. He might not have been the most stylish, but the baggy jeans and loose tee-shirt were comfortable. "I'm here to make an appointment with Dr. Uchiha. I would have called, but I wanted to check out the place first."

She arched a perfectly manicured brow. "I think you are in the wrong office."

"Nope. I have the directions I printed off on Google." He made a point of pulled the wrinkled paper from his back pocket and shoving it in her face. "Dr. Uchiha is the best cardiologist in the U.S. I want him as my doctor."

"I'm sorry, but Dr. Uchiha does not take walk-ins."

Naruto fought the urge to roll his eyes. "I know that. I'm here to make an appointment."

Her eyes narrowed and perfectly manicured nails tapped loudly on the keyboard at her desk. "I can fit you in three years from the twenty-first."

"Bullshit." Naruto slapped his palm down on the desk. "This is a doctor's office and I want an appointment. I may not look it, but I can pay him whatever exorbitant amount he wants to charge me."

The woman immediately reached for the phone and pressed a few numbers. "Security, we have a problem in Dr. Uchiha's office."

"Tell me you did not call security on me." Naruto took a few slow, deep breaths. "So what if I'm not dressed in Gucci suits. I'm not worth any less than anyone else."

He had no sooner uttered the words when two firm grips latched onto his arms. "What the hell? Damn, you guys are fast."

"Escort him from the building," said the receptionist with a sniff.

Naruto gave a weak struggle before allowing the two buff security guards to escort him outside. They gave a small shove once they reached the large glass doors leading from the building, causing Naruto to stumble over his feet and hit the pavement with a jarring thud. "Ouch, damn it."

"Don't bother coming back. You're banned from these offices," growled one of the security guards.

"I didn't know you threw paying patients to the curb," shouted Naruto in return. "Assholes!"

Had he been any other person on the street, he would have picked himself up and went about his merry way. Naruto was different. His heart was pounding so loudly in his chest, he was afraid it might give out at any moment. A hand lifted to press to his chest as he worked hard to calm himself enough to lower his heart rate. Damn, he hated this.

"Only an idiot sits in the middle of the sidewalk."

Naruto's gaze shot up to stare at a young man shadowing out the glare of the sun. "And here I was getting ready to take a nap. It's oh so comfortable down here on the pavement. You should join me. We'll start a new fad...sidewalk sleeping."

The stranger gave a huff and offered Naruto his hand. "What did you do to warrant getting tossed out on your ass?"

"Tried to make a doctor's appointment," chuckled Naruto wryly. "Thanks for the hand up. I didn't think they actually tossed you when you got thrown out of a building. Boy was I sure as hell wrong. I'm Naruto, by the way."

"Sasuke."

Naruto walked towards a bench where he sat with a huff and proceeded to pull up the leg of his jeans to check on the bleeding scrap. He barely noticed his rescuer taking a seat beside him. "Damn assholes."

"Here, I have a clean handkerchief. Let me clean it up for you." Sasuke pulled a bottle of water from his bag and poured it over the white cloth.

"Ouch, damn it." Naruto tried to jerk his leg away from him. "That hurts."

Sasuke gave a small huff. "Stop being a baby."

"Then stop touching it."

Sasuke glanced up at him with an arched brow. "Oh really? And what exactly am I touching?"

Naruto froze, realizing how it sounded and looked with Sasuke leaning over his lap. He glanced up to see several people giving them strange looks and lifted a hand to his face to hide the red flush staining them. "I think I'm going to go find a hole to crawl in now."

"I was going to see my brother, but I think you're much more interesting." Sasuke sent Naruto a smirking smile that likely earned him plenty of dates. "How about you and I go grab some lunch?"

"What makes you think I'd want to have lunch with you?" snapped Naruto as he pulled his leg from Sasuke's grip.

"You're still here," said Sasuke. "Is that reason enough?"

Naruto froze, his eyes going wide. "Maybe I'm just hungry?"

"Either way, we both get something we want. I get more time with you and you get food. Win-win."

"Does that line work often?"

"Yes."

There was little arguing with the reasoning. Naruto folded his arms across his chest and pouted for a moment, considering his options. He didn't want to let on that at least on a physical level, Sasuke was attractive—a bit of a pushy bastard, but still attractive. "You don't even know me. What if I have some incurable disease?"

"Then, I suppose we should hurry up before you expire." Sasuke stood and offered his hand again. "Come on, it's just lunch."

Naruto thought silently for several seconds. He was hungry and only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches waited for him at home. Every spare dime had gone into a special bank account to pay for this great new doctor that he couldn't even get an appointment to see. There was the fact that Sasuke was a stranger, but Naruto reasoned as long as lunch was in some sort of public place, he would be safe. It wasn't like he was going back to the guy's house or anything.

"Fine, but you're buying."

A look of victory spread across Sasuke's face. "I know the perfect place."

The two walked causally towards a parking garage where Sasuke pulled out a set of keys and used a remote to unlock the doors to a sleek red sports car. Warning bells went off in Naruto's head. It was one thing to go to lunch with a stranger; it was another all together to get in his car.

"Just tell me where we're going and I'll take the bus."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to murder you. There are much more deserving people to murder than some scrawny blond who spends his days getting tossed out of doctors' offices. Just get in."

"Alright, but if you kill me, I'm going to haunt you." Naruto slid into the soft leather seat and almost sighed in pleasure. It was like a taste of the good life. "Damn this is a nice car."

"Glad you like it." Sasuke turned over the engine and the vehicle purred to life, sending pleasant shivers up Naruto's spine. He had dreamed of riding in cars like this all his life and now he was sitting in one. God, he was almost turned on by the car alone.

Sadly for Naruto, the ride was short as Sasuke pulled into the parking area of a pleasant looking restaurant. "This is generally where my brother and I go for lunch."

They were seated immediately and the waitress took their orders before leaving them alone in the quaint atmosphere. "What sort of name is Sasuke, anyway?"

"It's Japanese. My parents emigrated from Japan in their twenties. Both my brother and I were late life children. What sort of name is Naruto? It sounds Japanese, but you don't really look it."

"My grandfather wrote about a character named Naruto. My dad liked the name, so he decided to name me after it." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "There is no telling where the old man got the name from, but my dad must have liked it a lot."

Sasuke smiled and nodded. "It suits you."

"That's what my grandfather would tell me. I'm not really sure if I should have taken it as a compliment or an insult, considering the grin on his face when he would say it." Naruto sat back as the waitress returned with their meals. "But, he raised me and I loved the old pervert."

"What happened to him," asked Sasuke.

"He died, a few months ago." Naruto gave a little sniff, jolting when he felt a hand on his arm. He glanced up to see Sasuke staring at him with a sympathetic look on his face. It sent a shot of warmth into him. Just that one look helped ease some of the pain ever-present when he thought of Jiraiya.

"I'm sorry."

"He died the way he lived—with porno playing on the television and a dirty magazine in his hand." Naruto snickered at the look on Sasuke's face. "What's wrong with dying with a smile on your face?"

"I'm not sure how I would feel knowing someone found me in that particular situation."

Naruto shot a grin towards Sasuke. He would not tell Sasuke, but he was just glad he hadn't found Jiraiya dead on top of a prostitute. It was not often, but on occasion the old man would splurge on a night in the arms of an escort. Those were the night when the headphones went on his head and blared jazz to drown out the sounds of sex. It was a wonder he wasn't scarred from those times.

"So, tell me, Sasuke, what are you hoping to get out of treating me to a meal?"

Sasuke arched a brow at Naruto's flirtatious tone. "What makes you think I want anything but your company?"

"Come on, everyone wants something." Naruto's grin widened. "Is it my sexy good looks? Has the rumor of how good I am in bed reached your ears; because let me tell you, I am the king of the horizontal mambo."

"You intrigue me. Most of my relationships end quickly because I become bored. From the minute you opened your mouth, I knew you would keep me on my toes." Sasuke shrugged. "I had hoped to woo you enough with this meal to convince you to go out with me again."

"And what makes you think I swing that way?" Naruto propped his chin on his fist and stared at Sasuke. "I could be as straight as the rod up that receptionist's ass today."

"I already have plans in my head at how to woo a straight man."

Naruto's eyes widened before he doubled over with laughter. This man, a mixture of both serious and flirtatious, planned to seduce him even should he prove to be hetero. It was just too funny.

"I didn't think it was that funny," groused Sasuke, a small frown taking root between his brows.

"You know, Sasuke, if I let myself, I could really fall for you."

It felt so easy with Sasuke. For a while, he had forgotten about his heart. He forgot about being thrown out of a doctor's office and about everything but this moment. Sasuke had given him a little moment of peace that he did not want to end. "By the way, what's your brother's name? Is it as neat sounded as Sasuke?"

Sasuke shrugged a shoulder. "Itachi."

"Itachi?" Naruto froze mid bite. "Itachi Uchiha?"

"Yeah, that's him." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I'm not surprised you've heard of him. The asshole is famous in the medical field. He was our father's pride and joy before the accident. It's a wonder I don't hate him for being so goddamned perfect."

This guy, his rescuer, was the brother of the bastard who kicked him out on his ass? It figured. Naruto's luck had always drifted towards bad in general. He had a fucked up heart. He didn't have much money. The one guy he had met in what seemed like forever that halfway interested him was the brother of the doctor who kicked him when he was down. Granted, it was not Itachi Uchiha himself that had kicked Naruto out of the office, but his receptionist spoke for him, so it might as well have been him.

Naruto slapped a hand to his face and began laughing. "Oh, the irony of it."

Sasuke frowned. "What is it?"

"I was just laughing at the irony that the man who threw me out of the building is the brother of the man that helped me."

The frown on Sasuke's face deepened. "You went to Itachi's office? Why?"

A sick feeling pooled in Naruto's stomach. He had not thought anything would come from his small enjoyable lunch with Sasuke. If anything, it was his way of living out a fantasy. Having Sasuke know about his situation caused the burning rise reality to flow like bile in the back of his throat.

Relationships were hard even when both members were healthy. Having one be sick from the beginning was a quite a bit more challenging as Naruto had experienced first-hand. His handful of relationships had been almost a farce. They had all started out understanding and willing until they realized just how limited their lives would be with an invalid for a partner.

They did not realize that sex would be boring and not as often, that he could not travel or go far from his primary care physician. There were times he would be in the hospital for tests or even illness. He had good days and bad days, but the bad days would eventually begin to happen more and more often. It was his principle to make sure any man he began to become serious with understood what being with him meant. The last one had lasted the longest, but even he, after six months, did not want to deal with the reality of Naruto's illness when he had to be hospitalized for developing an arrhythmia.

"Does it matter?" asked Naruto blandly, taking a spoonful of his potatoes and shoving it in his mouth. "This isn't a date."

"Stop being an idiot." Sasuke reached out and latched onto Naruto's arm. "Tell me."

"I had the wonderful luck of getting sick when I was a kid and now I have a bum ticker. The thing could blow at any time. I generally have to be under the care of a cardiologist to monitor it. I've had this shitty one for several years, but when Grandpa Jiraiya died, I decided to sell everything and find a good one. Too bad he turned out to be an asshole." Naruto leaned back and met Sasuke's gaze, though it proved more difficult a task than he would have thought. "I bet you didn't realize I wasn't joking when I said I had an incurable illness."

"How sick are you?"

Naruto shrugged and tapped a hand to his chest. "I could drop dead today, tomorrow, in five years. Who knows when this thing is going to finally give out? I guess you're pretty glad you found out now and all it cost you was lunch."

"Don't joke about it." Sasuke's scowl darkened. "You being sick wouldn't stop me from seeing you."

"You say that now, but how would you feel when you have to wait on me hand and foot. Would you want to take off time from work to sit with me in the hospital or possibly hold my hand when I eventually lay dying from heart failure?" Naruto knew he was being harsh, but in reality, his words weren't far off from the truth. His illness would be hard on any relationship he developed. He had come to the conclusion that he would die alone in some hospital with maybe a kind nurse with him when he was ushered into the afterlife.

"I would think you are trying to scare me off." Sasuke cocked his head, not breaking their gazes. "You'll have to do better than that."

Naruto arched a brow. "How would you like to give up sex as you know it?"

"You can't have sex?"

"I can, but...why am I even bothering to explain this to you. We don't have a relationship. After today, we won't see each other again." Why did it hurt so much to say those words? It wasn't like he felt anything but attraction for the man.

Sasuke's face took on a more serious expression. "I wasn't lying when I said I found you interesting. Do you realize how hard it is to find someone who I'm not bored of in ten minutes? I would not mind seeing how far things could go with us."

"How far things will go?" Naruto gave a growl and leaned close enough that his nose nearly brushed Sasuke's. "I'll tell you how far it goes. In a few days, months, years, my heart will get tired of all the shit it has to do and start going into failure. It will get weaker and weaker until it just decides to stop. Then I will die and leave whatever is left of my money to charity because there is nothing else in my life. That is how far things will go."

"Are you finished?" said Sasuke without blinking.

Naruto folded his arms over his chest. "What do you want from me?"

"How about a second date?" Sasuke smirked at Naruto. "Is that too much to ask?"

Naruto shook his head in exasperation. Most guys would have left after they found out about his condition. He knew it had shocked Sasuke. Instead of the usual look of pity on his face, there was one of added interest. "Oh, you're one of those."

"And what is that?"

"You're one of those perverts that get off on giving pity fucks." Naruto shoved a finger in Sasuke's chest. "Well I don't do pity fucks."

"That's good, because neither do I." Sasuke wrapped a hand around Naruto's wrist. "I don't scare off from something I want. If you really don't want to see me again, say it. Say it right now, right here, and I will leave and never see you again."

The pain was back in Naruto's chest and he fought the urge to rub the area over his heart. Those words tore at him because they were something he had wanted to hear for a long time. Why wasn't this man turning tail and running? They were barely more than strangers who met by chance. "Why are you doing this?"

"Say it, Naruto." Sasuke's hand tightened faintly on the wrist held in his grasp. "It's up to you."

Sasuke apparently knew where to hit the hardest. He didn't want to say it, because he didn't want him to go away. There was no doubt in his mind that Sasuke would leave as the others before him. If he steeled his heart to it, maybe he could have a little bit of a life before he got too sick.

"Fine. I'll go out with you again." Naruto tugged his hand from Sasuke's grip. "But there are rules. Nothing physical. I can handle a stroll, but anything fast paced and I'm out. No theme parks or rollerblading or sky-diving. God, you don't know how bad I want to go on a roller-coaster."

"A movie at my apartment tomorrow night? Is that tame enough for you?"

Naruto nibbled on his lip. He wasn't worried about Sasuke raping or killing him. Being a good judge of character always made up for his weakness in constitution. Even all the guys that had left him were good men in general; they just hadn't had the stomach for being in a relationship with him. "Fine, but you better have some good food."

"Deal."

Naruto shifted as Sasuke tossed a few bills on the table to cover the cost of the meal. "So, you going to take me home or do I need to ride the bus?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and dangled his keys. "I should make you ride the bus for being so annoying."

"Wouldn't be the first time," said Naruto with a grin. Even if he knew nothing would come of this, he was happy for a chance to enjoy himself on a date before the eventuality of his illness's progress.

oOo

Naruto was not sure what to expect when he stepped inside the spacious apartment. He could tell Sasuke had money, his car was indication enough of that. This was definitely not what he was expecting.

The apartment was nice, but sparsely furnished. The walls were nearly bare and the only piece of furniture was a large black leather sofa arranged across from a large television. There weren't even any throw pillows on the sofa to give it some color. For all of Sasuke's arrogance and personality, this place certainly did not reflect it. He obviously took the Asian trait of minimalistic literally.

"Have you lived here long?" asked Naruto with an arched brow.

"A few years," said Sasuke. "Would you like to eat before the movie?"

"I've got an even better idea. Let's eat watching the movie. Your couch looks brand new. Let's break it in." Naruto stopped mid-step when Sasuke chuckled and slapped his head with his hand. "Idiot. I didn't mean it like that."

Sasuke smiled and led Naruto into the kitchen where several pots were steaming on the stovetop. It smelled good...really good. "Did you cook this?"

"I like good food, but I don't want to eat out all the time." Sasuke began dishing up pasta onto their plates.

The herbs used in the sauce tickled Naruto's nose pleasantly. He could cook enough to get by, but nothing like the meal before him. It was deceptively simple, but the flavors told another story. As he settled on the sofa and began eating, he began to think he had died and gone to heaven. "I want to marry you right now."

"That was easy," said Sasuke. "I thought getting you in my grip would be harder."

"If you cooked like this for me every day, I would be your slave."

A gleam entered Sasuke's eyes. "Is that a promise?"

Naruto chose to ignore the comment and dug in wholeheartedly into the food—enjoying both the company and the movie. Soon, Naruto was curled up on the sofa beside Sasuke, his attention completely on the action playing on the television. He did not notice the way Sasuke's attention was riveted on him.

After a particular set of humorous dialogue, Naruto turned with a grin to Sasuke, only to be startled by the intense look on his face. "What?"

"I was just watching you."

A flush crept up tanned cheeks. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to." Sasuke lifted a hand, only to stop and lower it once more to his lap. "Like I've said before, you interest me."

"What about me is so interesting?"

There was a pause, Sasuke frowning and cocking his head. "I couldn't really name one thing. I suppose it's because you're so different from me."

"And here I thought it was my good looks that ensnared you into my trap," said Naruto jokingly.

"They helped," chuckled Sasuke.

Again Sasuke lifted a hand, only this time he did not stop. His fingers trailed down one of Naruto's cheeks. Never once did his gaze leave Naruto's eyes as he followed the line of Naruto's jaw down to where his pulse thrummed rapidly beneath the skin.

Naruto was nearly breathless. His heart was going much too fast, causing him to feel lightheaded. None of his previous boyfriends had ever come close to making him feel like this. He was suddenly afraid his heart was going to explode in his chest with its uneven pounding.

Sasuke leaned forward and brushed their lips together. It was a simple kiss that lasted no longer than a few seconds before he pulled away. Naruto wanted to scream at the short duration. "Why did you stop?"

"You said you needed slow."

"Yeah, but I didn't say I needed it to be on the level of a schoolyard kiss." Naruto inched a little closer. He was willing to throw caution into the wind and forget about his heart for a while.

The loud pounding in his ears and the sense of vertigo was ignored as he latched onto Sasuke's lips. His tongue darted out to tease the full lower lip just before his teeth latched onto the upper. The gasp from Sasuke was more satisfying than anything he had ever experienced. With this kiss alone, he found himself becoming greedy. He wanted more like this—kisses that said more than words ever could.

Naruto was always good with words, but today, he just wanted to kiss. He wanted to feel as if he had a lifetime to learn the recesses of the mouth now opened for him. Even knowing he would not be allowed that, he continued to kiss Sasuke as if this was his last kiss on earth.

Tongues slid slickly over each other. Naruto could taste the wine from the meal on Sasuke's tongue and it was delicious. When he pulled back, his breath panted and his chest hurt from the pounding of his heart. And he had never been happier.

"Are you alright?" murmured Sasuke.

Naruto leaned his head against his shoulder and took several long , slow breathes. "Just give me a second."

He could feel the hard press of an arousal from where he was half laying on Sasuke's lap. He grinned to himself and glanced at the screen where the credits were beginning to roll. "I guess this means our date is over."

"I can find another movie," said Sasuke, the smile obvious in his deep voice.

Naruto started laughing and gave a final nuzzle to the smooth pale jaw before pulling back reluctantly. "I think I should go."

"Will I see you again?" asked Sasuke.

There was no way Naruto could turn him down, even if it was the best thing for both of them. He wanted to keep feeling this. It wouldn't last, but he didn't care. He would continue to take as much as Sasuke was willing to give him. "You bet your ass you'll see me again."

This relationship was going to hurt him far more than any in the past. He knew without even giving it much thought that he was going to fall hard and fast for Sasuke because he already had. But, it did not matter. He would take what he could get for as long as he could.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

"Are we there yet?" asked Naruto for the tenth time. He took great pleasure in the annoyance Sasuke exuded in his silence and asked the dreaded question again, just for the pleasure it brought him in causing that small twitch to appear in Sasuke's right eye. Teasing the lengths of Sasuke's willpower was ever so enjoyable. It served him right for keeping the details about their current expedition a secret with only the vague instruction to wear jeans comfortable shoes.

"Have you ever heard of patience?"

"Nope," he answered with a grin. "I'm just a big kid."

"I have no trouble believing that."

"You're just jealous. It takes a real man to let go of his inhibitions."

"And you just want me because of my car."

Naruto could not lie and say he didn't have a serious hard-on for the smooth lined sports car. He reached down to stroke the supple leather seat, unable to hold back the sigh that rose in his throat. He closed his eyes and listened to how the purr of the engine mixed almost erotically with the smooth jazz pouring through the Boise sound system. Man, he loved this car. If only he could convince Sasuke to let him drive it.

"Will you stop fucking my car."

Naruto's eyes popped open, his face twisting in a faux grimace. "Well, at least the car puts out. Don't you, girl."

When Naruto started stroking the arm rest as if it was a lover, Sasuke reached over and slapped the back of his head with a playful tap. "Stop that."

"Don't listen to him, girl. He's just jealous of our love affair."

"I can't believe you."

"Cars have feelings too."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and flipped the blinker on the sports car, taking a turnoff on the interstate and following signs down the road until they reached the makeshift parking lot for a local fair. Naruto's eyes widened and he sent Sasuke a perturbed and hurt glance. "I thought I told you no theme parks."

"This isn't a theme park, idiot, it's a fair. There is a difference." Sasuke extracted his lean frame from the vehicle and watched as Naruto remained in his seat with his arms folded over his chest like an annoyed child who did not get his way. "Come on, stop being a baby and trust me."

"Fine," groused Naruto. Even with his trepidation, a small sliver of excitement worked through him. Jiraiya had avoided taking him anywhere that might overtax his heart. Naruto had simply followed in the example as he grew up.

Sasuke took Naruto's hand and led him up the gravel covered impromptu road toward a stall where entrance fees were being collected. He did not seem to care who saw them with their hands linked and that thought warmed Naruto even more. He had never cared what other people thought of him. Liking men was just who he was, and he was not ashamed of it. Jiraiya had taught him that much about self-esteem. That Sasuke seemed to feel the same way endeared him to Naruto even more.

"Two," said Sasuke to the woman seated behind the stall.

"So, what can two hard hitters like us do in a little country fair?" asked Naruto, unable to keep the frustration from his voice when he looked at a wheel spinning wildly up ahead to the sound of riders screaming their lungs out at the thrill. Damn, but he wanted to ride that thing.

"Are you always this difficult?"

Naruto shrugged and grinned. "Maybe I just like causing you to make that sexy face."

Another roll of the eyes. How in the world Sasuke made that look sexy was beyond Naruto.

"First things first." Sasuke led Naruto through several stalls of the best smelling food he had ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It all looked so good, he was salivating by the time Sasuke pulled them into a line.

They stopped before a stall selling just about everything bad for you imaginable. There were signs promoting hot dogs, corn dogs, chili dogs, hamburgers, and grease laden french fries. All this to choose from and it was when Naruto saw the entire roasted turkey leg that he fell in love. "I want one of those."

Sasuke glanced to the man in front of them as he was handed the huge seasoned drumstick and chuckled. "Two turkey legs it is."

They took seats at nearby benches with matching turkey legs and roasted corn on the cob. Naruto was in hog heaven. The meat was tender and seasoned deliciously.

"Hark ye, I am the lord of yon manor." Naruto pointed his half eaten drumstick towards a fun house set up with a medieval theme. "I claim all this land for my kingdom."

"I think you're mistaken." Sasuke leaned his shoulder against Naruto. "I believe I'm the lord and you my lady."

Naruto released a very unladylike snort. "Like you'll ever see me in a dress...you on the other hand would look divine in taffeta."

"Is that a secret kink of yours, Naruto?" The purr in Sasuke's voice had Naruto's pants beginning to feel slightly tighter than he would have liked. "Do you want to see me in a skirt and women's underwear?"

"You're such a bastard," he growled in response.

The two laughed and Naruto felt his apprehension easing. It didn't matter if he couldn't fully experience everything the fair offered. Sasuke was making it more than enjoyable.

"Well, my lady Naruto, are you finished with your turkey leg?"

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Sasuke. "Yes, Lady Sasuke." He could not stop the laugh from rolling from him at the look given them by a passing couple. Just the thought of what deviant images were going through their mind was more than enough amusement.

"You're scaring the locals."

Naruto's grin widened. "I think it's you who are scaring them, Sasuke."

"You keep thinking that." Sasuke led Naruto to a stall selling tickets and the apprehension Naruto felt when they arrived was back. Sasuke wouldn't go on rides and leave Naruto standing on the side line, would he?

"Stop looking like a kicked dog." Sasuke held up a string of tickets. "Those thrill rides aren't the only thing to do at a fair."

"How am I supposed to know? I've never been to a fair." Naruto poked out his lip and grumbled under his breath as Sasuke pointed to the Ferris Wheel.

"Have you ever been on a Ferris Wheel?"

Naruto watched the large wheel make its rounds. It looked fast, but judging from the number of couples, old and young, riding, he figured his heart could handle it. "No."

Sasuke handed Naruto two tickets. "Try it out."

Sasuke wasn't going with him? "Hey, wait a minute. What about you?"

"I'll sit this one out."

"Oh no. I'm not getting on that alone. If I'm going to die on that thing, you're going down with me." Naruto wrapped a hand around Sasuke's wrist and pulled him with more strength than he knew he possessed. If he was going to ride his first amusement ride, Sasuke was going to be with him.

The line moved fairly quickly until they were seated side by side in the small chair. He glanced at Sasuke, noticing his face was considerably paler than usual. As soon as the wheel began to move, lean hands latched onto the bar across their lap and his eyes clenched shut.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke shook his head, hands clenching even tighter when the chair would rock even slightly. "Just tell me when it's over."

Naruto laughed and leaned against him when their basket stopped at the top. "Are you afraid of heights?"

"Shut up. Just tell me when we reach the bottom."

An idea grew to life in Naruto's mind. He lifted a hand to Sasuke's cheek and turned his head so that their lips could press. It was partially in gratitude, but also meant as a way to relax Sasuke. He shouldn't have to miss out on the amazing look of the fair spread out before them. It took a moment, but soon Sasuke's lips were moving beneath his.

"Nice," he whispered when some color returned to Sasuke's cheeks.

The wheel started up again and though Sasuke was not completely relaxed, he was not in that almost panicked state of before. Naruto's hand lifted to press over Sasuke's heart. Just feeling the steady, if a bit rapid, beat was perhaps the most amazing thing he had ever felt. He found himself not wanting this ride to end. It was the most free he had ever felt in his life.

But it did end.

As they stepped off, Naruto leaned against Sasuke with a smile on his face. "Thank you for riding with me even though you were scared."

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Just keep it between us."

"Deal."

They moved away from the ride and strolled together in companionable silence. The fair was amazing to Naruto, more so than he thought it would be given the limitations of his heart. He tugged Sasuke to the carousel, not caring that two grown men riding around on pink ribbon decorated horses looked gay as hell. As they made their way down the fairway, it was the games that really drew Naruto's attention.

"Let's play a game." Naruto grinned at seeing the milk can ball toss game. He had an amazing aim. According to Jiriaya, if his heart had not been so weak, he could have easily had a career in the majors as a pitcher. "Watch this."

Naruto dug two dollars from his pocket and handed them to the man before Sasuke could offer to pay. He dug his feet into the dusty ground and released his pitch.

And only knocked down the top bottle.

"What the fuck?"

Sasuke arched a brow. "I'm not impressed."

"Oh fuck no. It must have been a fluke." Naruto handed the man another two dollars. "I'll get it this time."

The result was the same. "This thing is rigged."

He was going to beat this game if it was the last thing he did. The game would not get the better of him. His heart be damned. He ignored the way the uneven pounding was starting to thump a little too hard in his chest.

Naruto was about to dig another two dollars from his wallet when Sasuke placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let me try."

Sasuke slid some cash to carney running the game and shared an understanding look with scraggly, grease stained man. Picking up the ball and shooting Naruto an amused smirk, he pulled back his arm and released the ball.

Each of the milk bottles tumbled down.

"Winner!"

"Bullshit," growled Naruto.

Sasuke's smirk was incorrigible when he turned his gaze to Naruto. "Which prize would you like?"

The only thing that stood out was a large, overly stuffed red fox. "Just give me the fox."

Naruto snatched the stuffed animal from the vendor with a glare as Sasuke led him away. "You asshole. How much did you pay him to win?"

"It was all skill, Naruto."

"The fuck it was. You better tell me or I will sick Kurama on you."

Sasuke's brows rose in surprise. "Kurama?"

"Yeah. I watched a couple of episodes of YuYu Hakusho after meeting you. It was the first Japanese cartoon I could find."

"So you decided to name the fox after an anime character because I'm Japanese?"

Naruto cradled Kurama under his arm. "You got a problem with that?"

Sasuke wore a particularly smug look on his face. "None at all."

Warmth heated Naruto's chest and his heart gave a heavy thud in his chest. Sasuke was making him fall hard for him—harder than he already was. He had never met someone who was so amazingly perfect that Naruto's imperfections seemed all the more evident when compared to him. He shouldn't keep playing this game. It would only make things harder when they parted ways, but he didn't want it to stop.

"Is something wrong?" Sasuke frowned and clasped a hand to Naruto's shoulder. "Should we leave?"

"I'm fine." Naruto turned his grin on Sasuke. "I was just thinking about how I could go for another turkey leg, my lady."

"Idiot." Sasuke snaked a hand around Naruto's waist and pulled him close.

Naruto allowed the motion and grinned. He felt like an idiot already because he had already decided that he could not give Sasuke up. His heart, weak little shit that it was, had already made the choice for him. Damn, it was going to really hurt when things ended between them.

oOo

Naruto was still high from the fair when they pulled into the drive of his small apartment complex. Today had been amazing. He wanted more—more for Sasuke and from himself. It had been over a year and a half since he had slept with another guy and his hand just wasn't the same as feeling a warm body pressed against him. Sasuke being the sexy bastard that he was did not help the issue. Kisses and light petting were just not going to do it for him tonight.

Instead of getting his things, saying goodnight, and leaving the vehicle, he sat nervously nibbling on his lip. When had he, Naruto Uzumaki, ever been nervous about asking a guy to come up to his room? Just because he had one foot half in the grave did not make him a pussy. He simply needed to bite the bullet and spit out the words that were dancing just on the edge of his tongue.

"You want to come in?" The words were spoken in such a way, the intent was obvious, as was the look in his eyes as he met Sasuke's gaze.

The tension in Sasuke's body was nearly palatable. Apparently, Sasuke wanted this as much as he did. "Do you want me to come in?"

The lump in Naruto's throat returned and he shifted in his seat. "Yeah, wouldn't have asked if I didn't want you to."

Naruto was practically shaking as he led Sasuke to his lower level apartment. The exterior was coated in chipping stucco and more than a few dark water stains. The inside had not been much better when he had leased the place. It took quite a bit of elbow grease over several weeks before it could even be considered livable. Thankfully, Naruto was not without connections, or rather, Jiraiya was not without them.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," said Naruto with a grin as he ushered Sasuke into the small foyer.

The almost too small apartment was the exact opposite of Sasuke's apartment. Where Sasuke's place had an almost minimalistic aura, Naruto's was filled with knickknacks and a lifetime of memorabilia collected by both him and his deceased grandfather. Some might think the place cluttered, but somehow, Naruto was able to play it off as cozy. It was clean, and everything had its place, even if the walls could barely be seen for all the framed pictures.

Naruto stopped when he saw Sasuke was staring at a picture. It was one of him when he was around twelve or thirteen. He had been hospitalized after developing a bad case of pneumonia. Jiraiya was seated beside the bed and both were making bunny ears with their fingers behind each other's heads. A nurse must have taken the picture and even if the atmosphere was a bit depressing, the look on their faces was anything but. If not for Jiraiya's boisterous personality, his life would not have been as happy as it was. He taught Naruto how to be himself, even when being trapped with a weakened heart.

"That's Jiraiya. He wrote porn. He caught me reading one of his books when I was twelve. Most other parents or grandparents might have burst a blood vessel, but not him. He went out and bought me a couple of Playboy magazines. It didn't take me long to realize it wasn't breasts that turned me on." Naruto scratched his head and laughed nervously.

"Did that bother your grandfather?"

"Jiraiya? The king of porn? I think it inspired him. He even wrote a few gay novels under another name. I think he wrote them especially for me." Naruto shrugged a shoulder. "I miss him a lot."

"I'm sorry." Sasuke shifted so that his shoulder pressed against Naruto. "I miss my parents too."

Naruto leaned into Sasuke's warmth. For the longest time they stood there, simply sharing a moment of comfort between them. It was nice not to feel alone any more.

It was Naruto who made the first move. He was tired of letting Sasuke be the only one driving this thing between them. Fear of where it would lead was pushed aside in favor of living in the moment of it. He slid a hand beneath Sasuke's polo shirt and up the length of his spine, feeling each boney nob on his way up to the hard muscles covering broad shoulders.

Sasuke hissed and pulled back and turned just enough so that their noses brushed. His pupil was blown so that it nearly encompassed the entirety of his dark brown eyes. "You sure about this?"

"Damn, Sasuke, do I have to spell it out for you?" Naruto took a step forward and pressed Sasuke down onto the slightly worn sofa. He moved quickly and straddled lean hips. Without giving Sasuke a chance to dispute the act, he slammed their lips together and practically devoured Sasuke's lips for all he was worth.

He was, perhaps, taking things a little too fast. It was easy to forget the sometimes strict limitations placed on him by the faulty organ attempting to adjust to the rush of excitement and lust thrumming through his veins. His heart was already pounding in his chest with more force than was likely healthy. With Sasuke, he simply had no willpower to slow down, at least not at first. He would slow down after he ate his fill of the warm mouth and hot tongue prodding at his with excitement. His fucking heart could give him that much.

Naruto pulled back only enough for him to jerk Sasuke's shirt over his head and touch the warm skin beneath. They had never gone much farther than where they were now. He could always feel Sasuke holding back, likely unsure of Naruto's limits. It was a sweet sentiment, but far too frustrating to a body that needed more. Even if it was breaking his own rules when it came to sex, he wanted more.

"Don't just sit there like a blow up doll."

The words caused Sasuke to jerk beneath him and his hands lift to press under Naruto's tee-shirt. "I don't want to hurt you."

"I'll let you know when to stop." He could not tell if the words he spoke were a lie or the truth. His mind was blending everything into a blur of lust. The want he felt for Sasuke was allowing him to push aside his own sense of self-preservation in favor of the promise of mind-blowing release.

Naruto panted heavily from his place straddling Sasuke's hips. Things were going too fast and not fast enough. His heart was pounding far too quickly in his chest and his body seemed to be going into overdrive. Their shirts were discarded and their hands were touching each other. After what Sasuke had done for him today, there was nothing that could stop him from jumping him at the first available moment. He had wanted Sasuke before, but now he wanted him all the more.

"Fuck," hissed Sasuke when Naruto began rolling and grinding their jean clad crotches together. His hands wrapped around the gyrating hips to slow down the motions.

Naruto pulled back, his bruised and swollen lips parted from his panting breath. "Scared I'll make you come in your pants?"

"Among other things," he panted in a half-hearted retort.

"Don't worry about me." It felt like throwing caution into the wind. Had any of his lovers felt this good or this right? What he experienced with them did not even compare to the lust racing through his veins from Sasuke's presence.

Their lips met again and he could feel Sasuke giving way beneath him. What had happened to his rules about keeping things mild? Jiraiya had drilled in the way things had to be more than once. With Sasuke, he couldn't help but throw caution into the wind.

Lips pulled apart and Sasuke bit down on his collarbone and all thoughts went out the window. His heart sped up, trying honorably to keep up with the lustful demands from his body. It simply was not able to maintain the pace they were demanding of it, especially not after the excitement brought on by their afternoon at the fair.

He opened his mouth to tell Sasuke they needed to slow down when a warm palm dove deftly into his partially opened trousers and wrapped tightly around his erect penis. "Oh, shit."

"Fuck, Naruto. You feel good in my hand."

Breathing was becoming impossible and his heart sped up even more, losing any rhythm it might have maintained. "Sasuke...oh God."

Over the past several weeks since they met, they had not gone farther than kissing and mild petting. Things seemed to have developed quickly with neither able to control themselves in the heat wave created. He threw caution into the wind demanded more than his body could deliver at such short notice.

And still he wanted more.

His teeth bit down on Sasuke's lower lip and tasted blood on his tongue. He was acting like a wild thing, demanding and demanding despite the toll it was taking.

That small amount of pain seemed to set Sasuke off. His normally slow stroking hands began rubbing and gripping even more desperately. He had pulled Naruto even more tightly against him and begun grinding the open flies of their pants together. It was a build-up of tension that had risen over the last few weeks now reaching a head for both of them.

Naruto's back arched and his hips rocked with desperation against Sasuke. It felt so good. And he thought he felt free when riding the Ferris Wheel. This was so much better. His vision was dim and he failed to see the warning signs of overexciting his heart. The endorphins rushing through his bloodstream effectively masked it to his lust clogged brain.

Sasuke's hand freed their equally dripping penises from their boxers and pressed them together. The sweat and leaking pre-cum provided just enough of lubrication for them to slide against each other. Their heat bled into one another and their groans filled the air.

This was what it felt like to lose control. His dick hurt so badly and his balls were drawn up so tight against him that he thought they would burst from the fullness they carried. "Fuck...damn," he panted.

Sasuke seemed of equal mind because his hand having gone slack after bringing them together tightened his grip and pressed them even more fully together. The whisper of Naruto's name against his throat was even more arousing, causing his heart to jerk and pulse in an uneven thrumming.

His lips whispered entreaties to Sasuke while spots danced before his eyes and his chest struggled to find breath to fill his lungs. It felt as if he was dying, and if such was the case, he held not an ounce of fear because the feeling of blood rushing through his veins and the pleasure echoing in his brain was more than he had ever experienced.

He wanted more and less. The pleasure and the pain in his chest and lungs was nearly enough to cause him to lose consciousness. "Sasuke," he gasped out as fingers rubbed the head of his penis.

It was enough. It was too much.

With a small gasping cry he jerked and shuddered in the pleasure rushing through him. Sasuke bucked and groaned beneath him and their mutual release combined on Sasuke's hand as he stroked them through their orgasm.

The strength to stay aware quickly left him in the wake of his orgasm. Oxygen deprivation and the strain his heat was under was enough to cause what had been light spots of darkness on the edges of his vision to completely take over his mind and send his body into a state of lockdown. It was no use struggling to bring his heart under control. It was far too overexcited and out of rhythm to even try to calm.

As consciousness left him, he whispered Sasuke's name into his ear. He found himself suddenly not wanting to die, at least not until he had a chance to experience more moments like this. His entire life had been spent in a state of limbo, neither dead nor alive. If he could have just one more day, month, year with Sasuke, he would willingly go into death with a smile on his face knowing that he finally knew what it was like to love someone.

Sasuke shuddered and panted against Naruto. His breath caused the damp, blond hair at his temple to shift under the puffs of breath. "Damn, Naruto."

He felt the body laying heavy against him go limp in the aftermath of their orgasms. The heart pounding against his chest was almost scary in its uneven thrumming. His hand grabbed for one of their shirts and wiped the cum before shifting their bodies so that Naruto was no longer sprawled across his lap but laying on the sofa.

The instant he saw the pale face before him, his heart stopped. He should not have been that pale. "Naruto?"

There was no response and his heart stopped. A good orgasm could make a mind black out for a moment or two, but he had never known anyone to actually lose consciousness. But then, he had never been with anyone like Naruto. He knew Naruto was sick and had been warned about putting undue strain on his heart. Hearing was very different from following through. The touches and kisses had expanded and he had fallen prey to Naruto.

"Wake up, you idiot." Sasuke patted Naruto's cheeks frantically and cringed at the clammy cold feeling.

"Shit. Fuck." He scrambled for his phone from his pocket and quickly dialed 911.

Crouched by Naruto's side, he felt so useless. He wasn't like his brother. His extent at first aid was putting a Band-Aid on a cut and a pack of frozen peas on a swollen bruise.

"911, what is your emergency?"

"My boyfriend has a heart condition and collapsed. I need an ambulance." He ran a hand through his hair and reached for Naruto's limp hand. It was his fault. If he had only forced them to slow down, Naruto would not be in this state. He had allowed his lust to take over and now Naruto could die.

"You're calling from a cell phone. What is your name and address?"

Sasuke rattled off the address and apartment number. He felt almost numb and worthless when the operator asked about any medication Naruto was taking. It was not something the two of them discussed. In hindsight, perhaps they should have. Perhaps he should have pushed Naruto about his illness. Knowing and seeing were two very different things.

"Sasuke, I need you to prop your boyfriend up. It will make breathing easier and keep from putting undue strain on his heart. The ambulance is on the way so stay on the line with me."

He immediately reached for several pillows and gently pulled Naruto up into a reclining position, taking the time to fasten his jeans and clean him up a little. He had just sat back when the sound of sirens reached his ears.

Watching the EMTs begin treatment was the hardest thing he could do. Naruto was still unconscious and the panic barely held at bay was beginning to take over. He was offered a ride in the ambulance, but declined. They told him they were taking him Mercy General and sped away.

Panic nearly overrode all his control. There was only one person he could call, only one person he trusted with Naruto. It seemed impossible to keep his hands from shaking as he attempted to locate a familiar number. He dropped the phone twice before the connection was made and he heard his brother's dry voice pour into his ear.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

"Itachi...I need your help."

To be continued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be a two shot, but then the girl who commissioned it wanted to up it to a five shot. So...you get 5 ch. instead of two. :)


	3. Chapter 3

"Sasuke?" The typical teasing undertone of Itachi's voice was gone upon hearing the stress evident in Sasuke's voice. "Sasuke, what's wrong?"

"Itachi, you need to help Naruto."

"Sasuke, you're not making any sense." There was the sound of words being softly spoken in the background followed by the rustling of clothes. "Where are you?"

"Mercy General."

"Why the hell are you at Mercy?"

"Just meet me there." Sasuke ended the call and quickly jumped into his car. His hands shook as he attempted to turn over the engine and he was forced to take a few deep, calming breaths before trying again. It was all he could do to drive and had to focus all his energy to keep from ending up in a wreck. His phone chimed several times to display Itachi's name, which he ignored. If he picked up the phone, it would distract him from the painfully difficult task of speeding down the highway.

He was closer to Mercy General than Itachi and waited for him outside beneath the awning near the front of the hospital. Itachi was there shortly after him, much faster than he should have arrived considering the distance of his apartment from Mercy General. Seeing the worry etched on Itachi's face as he strode quickly for the doors caused a rush of guilt to burgeon forth in Sasuke for making his brother worry enough to cause him to risk a speeding ticket. Naruto needed him and currently he was all he could focus on.

For the short few weeks he had known Naruto, he knew he wanted Itachi to be his doctor. Naruto had never asked and Sasuke had never offered to introduce them. Early on, Naruto had put his foot down before Sasuke could even offer to arrange an appointment with Itachi, saying that if he had an appointment with any doctor; it would be with his own merit. Sasuke had let it pass. He wasn't going to press the issue. Naruto didn't seem that sick anyway.

"Sasuke?" Itachi half jogged to where Sasuke stood shivering in the slight chill of the evening. "What happened? Why are you at this hospital? You should have come to Konoha."

Sasuke's eyes traced over his brother. His long hair was pulled back in a messy queue. There was the beginning of a hickey where his neck met his shoulder and his lips had considerably more fullness to them than was normal. It was hard to miss that his brother had been with someone when he called. "You had a date?"

"She's not important."

That was probably true. Itachi was a true love 'em and leave 'em type of man. He rarely had girlfriends, instead preferring sex partners and one night stands. Perhaps it was some psychological trauma or some remnant caused by their parent's accident while Itachi was in college and Sasuke still in high school. Itachi seemed to use women as little more than a fleeting distraction. They always left his company with the knowledge that it would never be anything more than physical pleasure. It always baffled him how his brother never contracted an STD of some sort. Condoms did not protect from everything.

Until Sasuke met Naruto, he had not been much different. Relationships were a casual passing of the time—mutual pleasure with none of the troublesome romantic entanglements. He always got what he wanted and had approached Naruto with much of the same mentality. Things had not progressed in their usual manner. Nothing about Naruto was simple. The more time he spent with him, the more he wanted until he was completely hooked. Naruto was not a casual encounter. He was different.

"Sasuke, what happened?" Itachi's hands on Sasuke's shoulders forced him away from focusing on the obscure ramblings of his mind and back into the present. "What happened?"

"Naruto needs you. He has something wrong with his heart. I want you to help him. I'll pay you whatever you want. You're the best and I want him to have the best. I don't care if he bitches at me later because I asked you to come. I need you to do this for me."

Itachi frowned. "Who is Naruto and what happened to him?"

"Naruto Uzumaki—my boyfriend. He has a bad heart. We were...being intimate and things got out of hand." Sasuke glanced towards the interior of the hospital. "I want you to be his doctor. Please, Itachi."

"Since when do you have a boyfriend?"

Sasuke grabbed at the material of Itachi's light jacket. "Please, Itachi."

Itachi sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Alright. You sit in the emergency waiting room and I'll come see you when I know something. I don't have privileges at this hospital so it might take some time. We'll talk about this in depth later."

Sasuke nodded and walked with his brother as far as the emergency waiting room. He trusted Itachi. The man was an ass most of the time, but when it came down to it, he was a brilliant cardiologist and surgeon. Naruto was safe in his hands.

Itachi gave Sasuke a once over before nodding and making his way to the emergency nurse. "I was told one of my patients was brought in. I would like to talk with the attending."

The nurse recognized him immediately and buzzed him in before rushing off to find the attending physician. A large bearded man with kind eyes and an easy smile walked forward. "I'm Asuma Sarutobi, the attending. The nurse said we have one of your patients? It's not often one of Itachi Uchiha's patients would find their way into a hospital in this part of town."

"You know me?" Itachi did not smile, but accepted the offered hand.

"Who doesn't know of Itachi Uchiha?" Dr. Sarutobi folded his arms across his chest. "Since I currently only have one patient suffering from heart trouble, I'm going to assume you're here for Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yes, what is his status?"

"Passed out from what the paramedics told me. We've determined it was due to an arrhythmia. I've prescribed Bepridil Hydrochloride to try and bring it under control. It's still pretty irregular. He'll likely need more than medication to bring it fully under control. For now, we've simply been trying to stabilize him enough to be able to question him about his doctor and current medications."

Itachi nodded. "May I examine him? I don't have privileges at this hospital, but as he is my patient, I would like the courtesy of checking him out."

"Of course. I don't think there is much we can do for him. The ultrasound we did of his heart shows pretty severe muscle damage and the ECG supports it."

Itachi nodded. It was not completely unusual to have a young patient with heart trouble, less common than older individuals, but not unusual. Illness and birth defects could easily explain away a young patient under the care of a cardiologist.

Sasuke seemed particularly attached to Naruto, more so than he had ever seen. Such attachment fired him even more to insure this Naruto Uzumaki was properly treated. It was, perhaps, a bit of conflict of interest for him to treat his brother's boyfriend. If he was not who he was, he might agree. He had a widespread understanding concerning him and his ability to completely distance himself from his patients while administering care to them. It was true and he made no qualms about admitting to it.

Dr. Sarutobi pulled back a curtain to show a young blond male, early to mid-twenties. A nasal cannula was inserted into his nose and bleary blue eyes stared at the two as they approached.

"Damn...Sasuke called you, didn't he?"

"That he did. Apparently you two were getting a little too rambunctious for your own good."

Naruto grinned weakly and gave a small shrug. "What can I say; I can't beat them off with a stick. I'm just that hot."

Itachi shook his head and plucked the chart from a waiting nurse's hands and scanned the initial assessments made by Dr. Sarutobi. "You're a very sick man, Mr. Uzumaki."

"Just call me Naruto, we're practically in-laws."

"Joke all you want, but Sasuke is in the waiting room about to have a heart attack himself." Itachi turned to face Dr. Sarutobi. "Could I have a few minutes alone with my patient?"

When they were alone, Itachi pulled up a rolling chair and settled into it. "So, Sasuke wants me to be your doctor. How about you tell me how sick you are and we go from there?"

"Sick enough for it to fuck with my sex life, but not sick enough to croak in the next couple of minutes." Naruto shifted on the bed and tugged at the nasal cannula. "I hate these things. They always feel so damn weird."

"Leave it alone. How long have you had problems with your heart?"

"Oh, the question game. I'll tell you what; I'll answer a question if you answer one of mine. My heart has been a living piece of shit since I was five. I've been on medication, it's a good thing I'm gay because I'm probably shooting blanks down below. My turn for a question. How long has your receptionist worked for you?"

Itachi arched a brow. "About two years. Who was your last doctor?"

"Dr. Tobi."

Itachi gave an almost unperceivable wince and muttered under his breath, "And you're still alive?"

"Tell me about it," grumbled Naruto. "Is she really that great of a receptionist?"

"She is very organized."

The comment earned a snort from Naruto. "Have you slept with her?"

"Do you think that is any of your business?" retorted Itachi.

"You can't answer a question with a question. That's cheating."

"And that is two questions in a row."

Naruto gave a snort. "You've got to be quick to keep up with me."

Itachi suppressed a chuckle. Naruto Uzumaki was an interesting fellow. Even with his sickly pale skin and large blue eyes, he came off as someone who was in complete control of his mind. He was young, but not stupid. "Why all the questions about my receptionist?"

With the wave of a hand, Naruto settled back against the raised head of his bed. "We'll get around to it later. Since you still haven't answered a question to my satisfaction, I'll say it is my turn. Who did you leave to come see me?"

"No one important."

"Does he or she know that?"

"That's two questions." Itachi chuckled and sat forward. "You're an interesting fellow, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Sasuke said the same thing when we met. I have to tell you, this sexiness can only handle one man at a time. I really would die if I had to be with both of you."

Itachi ignored the sexual innuendo. "Where did the two of you meet?"

"Outside your office building." Naruto shifted on the bed, his gaze never leaving Itachi's. "After your receptionist had me thrown out for trying to make an appointment. I was flat on my ass and he offered a hand up, then he bought me lunch as an apology for his brother having such a bitch of an employee."

"He hasn't said anything to me about it."

"I asked him not to." Naruto plucked at the clear tubing leading to the oxygen dispenser behind the bed. "I told him I would handle things."

Itachi had kept his face neutral throughout most of their conversation, with only the occasional smile or chuckle. This, however, pissed him off and he was not known for having an easy temper. His ability at keeping a cool head was one of the reasons he was such a well-respected doctor. He'd known when he started making a name for himself that many of his patients would be wealthy, but he had never turned away anyone and volunteered one day a week at a free clinic. Never in his life had he turned away a patient without at first meeting with them and that someone working for him had, caused unbidden anger to rise in his chest.

"Oh, I see she didn't tell you. I may not be wealthy and I certainly don't look it, but I have some money stashed away. I've been living off of ramen noodles and cheap canned soup to make sure I would have enough money for my treatment and whatever you charged me." Naruto flopped back against the bed. "I told Sasuke not to arrange an appointment with you because I don't like depending on people and I didn't want him to think I was using him to get to you. I really like him a lot."

"When was the last time you went to see Dr. Tobi?"

"Three months ago. I'm running low on meds, but damn, that idiot will probably kill me if I go back. I've been trying to find another doctor, but I really wanted you. If I'm going to die young, I want to know everything possible was done before hand and you're the best there is."

Itachi closed the chart and stood. "I'm having you transferred to Konoha Hospital. I have privileges there. From today onward, I'm your primary physician."

"I'm fine, my heart has already calmed down. Another hour or so and I can go home," argued Naruto.

"No, you are not fine." Itachi walked to electrocardiogram machine and tore off the paper and spread it across Naruto's lap. "Look at these rhythms. This is not fine. Your heart is having trouble keeping a beat. I doubt it was only today that brought this own. I haven't seen your full medical history, but I would imagine that this is something that has been growing steadily worse. I won't make any treatment speculations until I get a full work up on you, but we may have to put in a pacemaker. You're going to Konoha so I can monitor you. Now I'm going to go let Sasuke know that you aren't dead before he follows through with my previous assessment and has a heart attack so he can join you in that bed.

Naruto's lower lip shot out. "You're kinda bossy."

"I had years of growing up with Sasuke to perfect it."

Naruto sighed and turned his gaze from Itachi, signaling their conversation was finished. Some color had returned to his cheeks and his breathing had smoothed out. The medication was helping with the arrhythmia, but was only a Band-Aid fix.

Itachi saw a lot of stubbornness in Naruto. There was energy in him, aching to get out. If his ECG was any indication, his heart was working towards the end game. The organ could have years of strength left in it, but not without proper care. Even if Sasuke was not part of the equation, he would have taken him on as a patient.

"Hey."

Itachi turned to see Naruto half sitting up on the bed. The firm line of his jaw stood out and his lips were turned down in a frown. "You're not doing this because of Sasuke, are you?"

"Sasuke only got me here. I'm taking you on as a patient because I want to. Sasuke does not decide who I take and don't take."

Naruto relaxed back. "Do I still have to stay in the hospital?"

"Yes."

The pout reappeared. "Then don't tell Sasuke anything bad. I want to keep him around a while."

Itachi inclined his head. "Rest up. I'll arrange for an ambulance to take you to Konoha."

Stopping a nurse, he asked for her to get together the transfer paperwork for him. The sooner he could get Naruto into his home field, the more comfortable he would be.

"I heard you're transferring him."

Itachi turned to see Dr. Sarutobi leaning against the nurse's desk. "It will be easier to treat him if it is in a hospital I am familiar with."

"I don't blame you. This hospital tends to get all the indigent and uninsured patients. We don't have big name doctors or the luxuries of having people willingly choose this place. The amenities are pretty crappy too. I keep waiting for the city to shut us down, but they never do."

"Don't sell yourself short." Itachi signed the forms to arrange for transport from Mercy to Konoha. "At least you care. That's more than most of those big name doctors can say."

"Does that include you, Dr. Uchiha?"

Itachi smirked. "If you asked my brother, he would tell you I am a heartless bastard."

Dr. Sarutobi laughed and extended his hand to Itachi. "Most siblings would say that. It was a pleasure meeting you, Dr. Uchiha."

Itachi paused and reached for his wallet, pulling out a card with his contact information. "If you need a consult or decide you want to change venue, give me a call. Doctors in this neighborhood usually burn out quickly, I would hate for that to happen to someone who cares about his patients more than his paycheck."

"Thanks." Dr. Sarutobi pocketed the card. "I think I'll hang out here for a while. It's nice feeling like I'm making a difference to people."

Itachi nodded and made his way to the waiting room, internally bracing himself for the hard part of the evening—dealing with Sasuke. His brother was busy sitting in a hard waiting room chair, nervously tapping his leg and sipping on a cup of coffee.

"Is that my brother sipping on hospital coffee?"

Sasuke's gaze jerked up and he was on his feet, sloshing a bit of the coffee over the rim and to the grimy floor. "It's not that bad."

"If you like drinking motor oil." Itachi took the cup from Sasuke's hand and tossed it to the trash bin. "Walk with me."

"What about Naruto?"

Itachi shrugged and opened the door for Sasuke. "He'll live. I'm having him transferred to Konoha. I can better look after him there."

"What happened?"

"A lot of things, I'm sure. The excitement of coital pleasure didn't help, but it was not the underlying cause. I'm not going into details because Naruto asked me not to."

Sasuke gave a shove to Itachi's shoulder. "Stop being an asshole."

"When it comes to Naruto and his wishes, I'm not your brother, I'm his doctor. If he wants you in on his medical problems, then he will tell you. He's not going to die tonight or tomorrow, I can tell you that much."

Sasuke's shoulders slumped and his hands were shoved into the pockets of his jeans. "I'm just worried about him."

"You always were a compassionate child—different from me and Father." Itachi took a breath. "I'm going to head to Konoha and meet the ambulance there. You should go home and get some rest."

"I'll follow you there."

Itachi smiled and turned to head to his car. He had expected nothing less from Sasuke. If he could have his way, he would wish Naruto had never come into Sasuke's life. Even without a full work up, his gut told him that Naruto was eventually going to become very sick. He would do everything in his power to help him, but in the end, there were so many things that were out of his hands. A lot of the future would depend on Naruto's will to fight and hold on as long as possible. There was no doubt in his mind that Naruto would eventually need a transplant. It could take months or even years, but the day would come when he would be forced to put his name into the UNOS database and pray for a match.

Then, there was the look on Sasuke's face. He actually felt something for the man being treated in the emergency room. That was something he had hoped would happen to his brother. Both of them had been raised in a strict family, but were still loved. When their parents had died, it had hit them both hard, Sasuke especially so. Itachi had transferred from Harvard to a local college so that he could stay with his brother and help him.

"Maybe having Naruto Uzumaki in Sasuke's life won't be such a bad thing after all," he mused as he slid into his car and left the run down hospital parking lot.

oOo

Naruto shot the EMT sitting with him in the back of an ambulance an annoyed look. "Does your partner even have a driver's license?"

"Don't know, never asked him."

Heaving a sigh, Naruto gripped onto the sheet covered stretcher. If not for the straps holding him in place, he would have likely gone flailing around the interior. The bored look on the EMT's face didn't reassure him to his safety with the madman behind the wheel who seemed to enjoy taking turns on two wheels instead of four.

"You do realize I'm not dying, don't you? There's no rush."

"I've learned to let Hidan have his fun. It's the only way to keep him in control," answered the EMT.

"Fun? What the hell is he, a psychopath? How is nearly wrecking an ambulance on every turn fun? If I have a heart attack and die, I'm going to come back and haunt you."

The man arched a brow and smiled. "You probably won't be the only one."

Naruto gave a huff and closed his eyes. They had to be nearly there. This late at night, the traffic was minimal.

"We're here!"

The back to the ambulance opened and a grinning face came into view. "Welcome to your new home, you ungrateful shit."

"What the hell?" Naruto gaped at him. "You can't say that to me."

"Just ignore him," advised the other EMT. "It's what I do."

The driver, Hidan, scowled at Naruto. "Don't think I didn't hear you bitching about my driving. The next time you're bleeding out in the back of my ambulance, I'll make sure to go extra slow, just for you."

Naruto glared at Hidan, going so far as to stick his tongue out at the man. Perhaps it was a little juvenile, but when he had plenty of uncomfortable tests to look forward to, he figured he was due a little childishness. As Hidan returned the action, there was nothing Naruto could do but laugh. When he was lying in bed being poked and prodded, he would make sure to remember that.

Itachi was standing in the emergency room hallway just as Naruto was pushed through the door. "So nice of you to be here to greet my arrival."

"You're certainly a bit more chipper," commented Itachi dryly.

"Well, unlike you, I had my life flash before my eyes numerous times on the ride here." He sent Hidan a scowling glare and received one in return. "It caused me to reevaluate my life."

"I'm sure it did. Sasuke is waiting in your room. I would advise you to be candid with him."

"I'm always candid," Naruto retorted. "Mostly."

The look Itachi gave him had Naruto cringing both internally and externally. "He knows my heart is bad. What more is there to tell?"

"Just don't keep things from him. Patients facing serious illnesses do better with friends and family they can talk to. I'll be your doctor regardless of your relationship with Sasuke."

The EMTs helped Naruto onto the mobile bed and a nurse looked to Itachi for instruction. "Take him up to room 345."

Konoha Hospital was more of a spa than any hospital Naruto had ever been inside. It was a hospital with the standard anesthetic smell and forced smiles, yet it seemed nicer somehow. It did not have that underlying sense of illness and death.

The room he was pushed into was large with a massive window and attractive curtains, not the usual ugly thick things used mainly to block the sun from the patient's room. The art on the walls was airy and uplifting, instead of appearing fake and cheap. There were already several bouquets of fresh flowers and a few balloons probably bought in the twenty-four hour hospital gift shop. Sasuke, sitting stiffly in a plush chair, was on his feet the moment Naruto was pushed into the room.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke moved immediately to his side and settled a hip on the bed once the nurse moved the bed into position. "I haven't stopped worrying since the paramedics took you away."

"I'm cool. You just took my breath away, pretty literally." Naruto tried to plaster a lecherous grin on his face, but Sasuke obviously was not fooled. "I'm fine. I've had arrhythmias before. Itachi will probably get my chart faxed to him, adjust my meds, run a few tests and I'll be home in a day or two. This is happened before and I did warn you."

"So you did. You also said your previous boyfriends had trouble dealing with your illness and ran away at the first sign of trouble. I won't be going anywhere."

Naruto was almost afraid Sasuke was going to say that. He wanted him to stay so badly, but he was also afraid of what his staying would mean. Why was it so hard for him? He was stuck in an emotional limbo with no equilibrium.

When Sasuke leaned in and pressed their lips together, Naruto could not hold back the sigh of contentment. For a moment, he basked in the warmth of Sasuke's kiss before grinning against his lips. "You know, I told you not to call your brother for me."

"Well, I wasn't going to call that doctor of yours after all the crap you told me about his crazy ass."

Naruto pulled back with a smirk. "I'll forgive you this one time, but you've used up all my forgiveness for a lifetime."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I guess that means I'll have to be on my toes to make sure I don't offend you."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Grabbing Naruto's head, Sasuke pressed their brows together. "Just don't do that again."

He wanted to tell Sasuke that it would never happen again—that he would only get better from here on in. It was something he wanted desperately to tell him. But, it would be a lie and lying to Sasuke was something he could not bring himself to do, even if it meant easing his mind. "I can't promise that," he whispered.

Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed. "I know."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Because if you promised me something, I know you would do your damnedest to keep it. And because I am greedy and selfish."

Naruto smiled and looped his arms around Sasuke's waist. "Me too."


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto shifted on the hospital bed. It wasn't that the bed was uncomfortable. It was a strange plastic mattress filled with a foam-like material. The problem was that it just was not a real mattress. A real mattress was thick and plush with a thick down filled mattress pad...not that he had ever had a premium mattress before, but a fella could dream.

"Are you listening to me, Naruto?"

Naruto's jerked his eyes back to where Itachi Uchiha stood at his bedside, chart cradled in hand. "Yes?"

He could have sworn he saw the corner of Itachi's eyes twitch. The motion was nearly unperceivable and he almost didn't catch it. If not for years spent watching people, he probably would not have.

"And I thought the airhead blond rumor was just that."

"Hey!" Naruto sat up in the bed, instantly regretting it as the blood seemed to rush from his head and his eyes crossed as the world began to spin. He had definitely risen a bit too quickly to that baited quip.

"Idiot," snapped Sasuke as he jumped from where he sat and moved quickly to Naruto's side. "Are you trying to stay here on a more permanent basis?"

Naruto shot Sasuke a pout. "I've just been lying here too long."

"And you're going to lie there even longer if you don't have this procedure," interrupted Itachi. "Your heart is not in good shape, but you're not to the point of being sick enough to be placed in UNOS, at least not yet."

"I know." Naruto dropped his head and stared at the thread count of the sheet spread across his lap. "It's just..."

Sasuke's eyes widened visibly. "You're scared."

Naruto felt a wash of shame work through him. He always put up a brave face, but in the face of a procedure that might kill him prematurely, he couldn't stop that dark tendril from working through him. Death was an inevitable part of his life. He knew the smell of it after having spent a large portion of his childhood in beds beside other very sick children. Some of them survived...some didn't.

"Implanting a pacemaker is a standard procedure. I've done more than I care to count and have yet to have anyone die on me."

"Then you're statistically due, right?"

Sasuke stiffened slightly and turned to his brother. "Itachi, can we have a moment?"

Itachi frowned, but nodded and exited the room. The two were left alone with the silence and artificial lighting.

"Were you all talk about not fearing death?"

Naruto shivered slightly and lifted his gaze. "I know I'm going to die, just like I know you're going to die. And Itachi will die. And everyone in this hospital will die. I suppose, the threat of it happening sooner rather than later has me a bit on edge. I've never had anything to really live for, not really. There was Jiraiya, but that was different."

"And now?"

"Do I have to shout it out?" Naruto pouted. "You in my life has changed everything."

"I hope that's a good thing, because that is how I'm going to take it."

Naruto's smile faded and he clutched at Sasuke's hand, perhaps a little too fervently. "I don't know if it's a good thing or not."

Sasuke frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sick. I've always had this idea that I would die alone, in a hospital...younger than should be allowed. Having someone in my life...someone permanent, well, it changes things. Sudden, I'm very scared. I'm scared and I don't know how to recover from that fear."

Sasuke's hands lifted to cup Naruto's face. "Scared of dying?"

Tears leaked from Naruto's eyes and trickled slowly down his face. "Scared of living."

The truth of his words was an almost tangible thickness between them. Their gazes never parted and their breath puffed slowly between their closely arranged faces.

"I'm scared too," said Sasuke.

"Why?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know. Finding something I never expected. Hurting you. Losing you so soon."

"If you're scared and I'm scared, who's going to be the brave one?" said Naruto with a small smile.

"Itachi?"

A small laugh burst from Naruto. "Yeah, he seems pretty fearless."

"I used to want to be him. I followed him around everywhere when we were children. We used to go to the Caribbean during the summers with our family. There was this guy, he was a little older than us, but he would hang out with us and showed us all the local places. We became pretty good friends and still keep in touch. Those summers were amazing."

"I've never been to the Caribbean," whispered Naruto.

Sasuke swallowed thickly. "If you get well, maybe we'll go some day."

"Well...that's the thing." Naruto's hands lifted to Sasuke's chest and then slid around his neck. "I'm not going to get much better."

"You'll get a new heart eventually."

The only response Naruto gave to Sasuke's words was a slight fluttering of his lashes. He pushed back the feeling of dread that pooled in his stomach whenever he thought of the endgame. Itachi talked about receiving a transplant as if it was a certain eventuality. Naruto knew very well that it wasn't.

When he was fifteen, he was hospitalized for tests. It wasn't a new experience and he embraced it like he always did, with a grin and a shrug. He had shared a room with a boy on a transplant waiting list. Shin had been a few years older than him, but they had struck up an easy friendship. His brother, a boy named Sai, was a bit of a weird duck, but not too bad all around.

During their time together, their similar situations had eased them into friendship. Shin had possessed a deep hope and assurance in his doctors and the system. Despite the statistics, he was certain he would receive a transplant. Throughout the hospital stay, Shin's heath continued to decline until finally, he passed away under the mournful eye of his stepfather, Sai, and Naruto without ever receiving that much wished for news from his doctors.

The experience had been a sort of eye opening experience for him as he realized that he would soon be in that position. The only difference between him and Shin was that their timetables were slightly different. Either way, he had little doubt he would die waiting for a heart just as his friend had.

Staring at Sasuke, he could not find it in him to verbally affirm what he knew was his eventual fate. He could not stand to see that firm belief visible in those amazingly dark eyes fade away. So, he made the decision. He would not put his faith in getting a new heart, but instead enjoying every moment he could with Sasuke.

"Yeah, I'll get a heart," he lied. God, he hated the taste of it on his tongue. But for Sasuke, he would lie a thousand times.

"And the pacemaker?"

Both turned to see Itachi leaning against the door, a small smirk on his face. Sasuke was on his feet and storming across the room. "What the hell, Itachi? I thought I asked you to leave."

"I left as Naruto's doctor, but I'm standing here as your brother. I don't want to see you get hurt, so as your brother, I'm going to push for your...significant other, to listen to the advice of his doctor."

"Don't you think that is strangely self-serving since you are my doctor?" asked Naruto with an arched brow. "That doesn't make you a very nice person."

"Perhaps, but I never said I was a nice person." Itachi moved more fully into the room. "So, you'll have the procedure? Without it, I can guarantee that you will be on the UNOS list within six months as opposed to longer with the pacemaker. It will make it easier for your heart to keep a somewhat normal rhythm."

Naruto nodded wearily. "It's two against one, then?"

"We aren't against you, Naruto." Sasuke moved back to the bed, but instead of sitting, laid down beside him. "I'll support whatever you decide."

"And if I don't want the operation?"

Sasuke swallowed, his Adam's apple visibly bobbing up and down. "I'll be pissed, but it's your decision."

Naruto grinned. "You know that giving in is the same as enabling, don't you?"

"Would you rather I slugged you and tied you down until you signed the forms?"

A sparkle of interest twinkled in Naruto's eyes. Now that idea had possibilities. Oh, if Sasuke only knew how very kinky Naruto could be, at least in his mind. His body prevented him from acting out any of his more sordid imaginings. "The thought has promise," he purred.

Itachi rolled his eyes and took the papers he had set aside and handed them to Naruto. "I would prefer to stay out of your sex life as much as possible. But if you don't have this procedure, you won't have much of one."

"Will we—" Naruto trailed off and grew red in the face. Since when was he ever embarrassed about sex?

Itachi's eyes sharped and the smirk on his lips grew in prominence. "What was that? You'll have to be more direct with your question if you want me to answer."

Naruto glanced to Sasuke, whose face was growing redder with each passing moment. "You fucking asshole. You know what I mean."

Sasuke lifted a hand to his face. "God, Itachi. Why, for once, can't you be impartial?"

"Because even though Naruto is my patient, you are my brother. It is my goal in life to torture you in any form or fashion I deem appropriate. If that involves embarrassing you with sex questions, then so be it."

"You're such an ass."

Itachi's lips twisted in a grin and his attention shifted back to Naruto. "To answer your question, yes. You'll have the same restrictions as before, but you will be able to resume sexual activities, provided I release you after evaluation of your condition following the procedure."

Naruto nibbled his lip before nodding. "Give me the damn paper."

"Making a sick man fill out paperwork," he grumbled as he began signing and initialing throughout the pages.

Handing them back to Itachi, he slumped back in sudden exhaustion. The worry. The truth. The fear. All of it was weighing heavily on his constitution. If the pacemaker could give him a little longer with Sasuke, he would be a fool not to take it. The risk was low enough that Itachi seemed unconcerned.

"I'll get this filed and arrange for the procedure. You'll probably be out of here in a couple of days if everything goes well."

"Good, because I have things to do," grumbled Naruto. It wasn't necessarily a lie. He had called the suicide hotline and talked to his boss about his current hospital stay, but he really wanted to get back to it. Until Sasuke, talking people through a low part in their lives was something he found surprisingly fulfilling since he had been there. And there were still days when depression made it hard to find any strength at all.

"You'll be fine," said Itachi as he was leaving the room.

"You've got an ass for a brother."

Sasuke nodded his head. "Agreed."

"I hope it's not hereditary, because I feel bad for his future kids." Naruto started picking at his nails and focusing on random odds and ends in the room. "Sasuke?"

"What?"

"Stay with me until they take me away for the procedure. This is usually the point when they get scared and leave. I guess the fear and stress get to them."

Sasuke's eyes darkened and his hand shot out to grab the hand not housing an IV port. "I won't leave you. They were all stupid because they don't realize what they gave up."

Naruto smiled. "I think I'm the lucky one. If they hadn't left, I probably wouldn't be here with you."

"No, we'd still be here because you still would have landed on your ass outside Itachi's office. The only difference would be that I would have had to...convince your boyfriend to vacate your company."

"Oh really?" Naruto chuckled. "And how would you have done that?"

"I'll leave that to your imagination," answered Sasuke.

"I have a pretty wild imagination."

Sasuke smiled and laid his head on Naruto's shoulder. "I'm glad. Once you're better, I fully intend to take advantage of that."

"You fiend," growled Naruto. "You would tease a sick man who is unable to do anything?"

"No," chuckled Sasuke. "I'll tease you."

Naruto laughed, already feeling himself relax. He prayed for the pacemaker to be a miracle fix for him. Now he really did not want to leave Sasuke's side ever.

oOo

The tap of fingers on the keys of a Sasuke's lap top distracted Naruto from the show playing mutely on the wall-mounted television. The problem was that the rhythm was off, as if Sasuke's heart was not really into what he was doing.

Naruto felt this was an appropriate time to interrupt him. "What are you writing?"

"A story about a boy and his dog."

Naruto blinked and stared at Sasuke. "Seriously?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and slid his black rimmed glasses from his face. "No, you idiot. I was being sarcastic."

"Hey, there's no need for name calling."

Sasuke released a chuckle that sounded a little too forced, and stretched his legs outward. "But it is so much fun."

Naruto pouted and glanced at the laptop. "Seriously, what are you writing?"

Sasuke sighed. "It's an look at life during the Great Depression, the struggles and how the world changed as a whole during that time."

"Really? Sounds boring, kinda like something I would be forced to read in school. Why don't you write something interesting, like a story about space pirates or hell, even that boy and his dog would probably sell to the masses that wanted a dumb read."

Sasuke wrinkled his nose. "I don't write 'dumb reads' as you put it. I'm respected by my publisher and by my reader base."

"Reader base? What, all five of them. God, Sasuke, for someone as sexy and smart and fun as you, you write boring ass shit."

A scowl pulled down Sasuke's brows and he slammed his laptop closed. "Stop being an ass."

"I will if you will." Naruto grinned and flopped back on the bed.

Sasuke snorted and popped his neck a few times. "At least I don't have to wear a hairnet."

Naruto lifted a hand to touch the little hat used to keep his hair coming free and interfering with the sterile room. The nurse had brought it in for him to wear several minutes prior and he decided to pimp it for all it was worth. This wasn't his first rodeo after all, even if it was his first major bought with surgery.

"Hairnets are the latest style. Move over lunchroom lady, Naruto Uzumaki is bringing the sexy back." Naruto's grin widened at the sound of Sasuke's chuckle rolling over him. The closer it came to the time for the procedure, the more nervous and jumpy Sasuke became. Every time the door to the room opened, Sasuke would jolt and pale.

Naruto felt it was his duty to relax Sasuke as much as possible. It was rather funny that Sasuke seemed more nervous about what was going to happen than Naruto...and it was him that was having the procedure. Now it was just a matter of waiting until they took him down to where Itachi was prepping for the procedure. God, with the way Sasuke was acting; he was going bring about a heart attack on himself before the end of the day.

The silence that fell between them wasn't working so good for Sasuke. He didn't want to even think of what sort of thoughts were running through Sasuke's head to bring on that sudden pallor spreading across his cheeks. Naruto was being forced to turn into a one man act just to keep Sasuke's mind away from the bad thoughts obviously making a place in his mind. Thank God he was not a woman and pregnant; Sasuke would obviously be one for sympathy contractions.

A grin teased the corner of his lips at the thought. Well, seeing Sasuke panting and pushing down during his 'labor' was an amusing thought. He would file that one away for later amusement.

"You'll be going down soon," said Sasuke, finally breaking the silence.

"I think the surgical floor is up."

Sasuke shot him a deadpanned look and Naruto shrugged. "What? It's the truth."

With a roll of the eyes, Sasuke stood and moved to the bed, taking a seat on the edge. "Are you nervous?"

Obviously not as much as you, he thought, but instead answered with a small nod. "A little."

"I'll be here when you wake up." Sasuke words sounded almost as were spoken as much for himself as for Naruto's sake. A warmth spread through his chest and he lifted his hand to his heart. The organ, piece of shit that it was, recognized Sasuke as someone who had wormed his way inside. It was more than before. Sasuke was more.

He picked at the thin material of his hospital gown and tried to find some words to say, anything. It did not matter if they were stupid; he just wanted to say something to him. "Why do these things let your ass hang out? Have you ever wondered, because I have? I've been in a lot of hospitals and they all leave your asses floating in the breeze. The nurses are always on you to walk down the hall but, geez, every time I do, my ass just about freezes off. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not particularly keen to show off my ass to everyone and their grandmother."

Sasuke arched his brow. "You could just put them on properly."

"I don't care how you tie these fuckers; a breeze slaps your ass like a coach in a football player's locker room every single time."

Sasuke relaxed a little more. "You could always walk around the room if you want to stroll."

"You're just saying that because you want a chance to ogle my sexy ass." Naruto twisted in bed just enough to show a bit of hip to Sasuke. "Admit it."

Sasuke's smirk was back and his eyes gleaming dark gems. "I would not be opposed to that suggestion."

"See." Naruto leaned back into his bed. "I was right thinking you were a pervert."

"It takes one to know one," retorted Sasuke.

"I fully admit and accept my pervert side."

"I'm not sure that is something you should admit publicly."

Both turned to see Itachi standing in the door wearing green hospital scrubs and relaxed expression. The man looked as if he was not the least bit concerned about the upcoming procedure. Seeing him so calm and unconcerned relaxed Naruto, but Sasuke was another matter. Instead of relaxing at his brother's entrance, his body went tense. Naruto could see the panic beginning to return to Sasuke's eyes.

"Hey, Sasuke, think Itachi would let us walk to the O.R.? I kinda feel the need to feel the wind on my ass."

Sasuke blinked and stared at Naruto before giving a small huff. "Idiot.

Itachi inclined his head and stared at the two. "I would rather not look at anything below the waist. I'm afraid that is not my area of expertise."

"Yeah, I get you," replied Naruto. "There is a lot of sexy in this body. It's hard to deal with it at first."

Sasuke snorted and stood, walking slowly to his brother. "Itachi."

Itachi's gaze shifted to his brother. "Sasuke."

"Take care of him. I need him."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly as Sasuke returned to the bed. Naruto was slightly speechless as lips were pressed his in a rather deep kiss. He couldn't help but respond, lifting his arms to grasp onto Sasuke's broad shoulders as he was kissed senseless.

"I'll be here when you wake up," he repeated as he finally pulled away. "I'm going to go get some coffee."

The remaining two in the room watched Sasuke leave before Itachi shifted his attention back to Naruto. "I never would have believed my brother could be...whatever the hell that was."

"Me either," replied Naruto slowly, his tongue darting out to lick at his lips in search of some of the taste of Sasuke. "Damn, now I'm horny."

"I would say you should deal with that now, but I would rather you not have a heart attack before we get your pacemaker in place."

"Does that mean I'll get to deal with it later?"

Itachi gave a small cough. "Contrary to what I said yesterday, what you do with my brother is not something I care to know about. I'm still not sure what I think of you other than you are a loud, somewhat obnoxious pain in the ass that my brother is completely in love with. If anything happened to you, I'd have to deal with the fallout."

"Does that mean your hand won't accidentally slip during the procedure?" Naruto grinned up at Itachi. "Because I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't like that."

"No, he most certainly would not." Itachi stared at Naruto, his eyes narrowed and calculating. "I wish I had an easy, permanent fix for you, but your road to health is going to be very bumpy."

"It's not the destination, but the journey. Isn't that an old saying they toss around?" Naruto sighed and slumped against the bed. "But, I really wish it wasn't one I had to take."

Itachi's face softened. "I wish that as well."

The nurses came in moments later and released the locks on Naruto's bed and began pushing him from the room, bed and all. He watched as Itachi followed behind, something in his eyes that wasn't there before. Was it compassion?

The operating room was cold as he was transferred from his bed to the table. He ignored the cold air brushing his bare ass. It never failed that his ass was going to get cold at least once while in the hospital.

"Good morning, Naruto. I'm Dr. Kora. I'm your anesthesiologist." The woman's eyes smiled as she set about hooking up a drip to Naruto's IV. "You're going to start feeling really tired."

"Hey, Itachi?" Naruto mumbled as the drugs pulled the darkness teasing the edge of his consciousness in like a warm blanket.

Itachi stood over him, mask and an unusually colorful head covering in place. Damn, he looked weird as hell, so different than before. "Yes, Naruto?"

"What...did you...do with that bitch?" He fought back the pull to give into the darkness. He wanted to hear what Itachi said.

A mask was pressed over Naruto's face and gas flowed into his lungs just as Itachi answered. "I fired the bitch."

Satisfaction was the last thing he knew before everything went dark.

oOo

Naruto groaned and shifted on the bed as he came into full awareness. He had a very vague recollection of waking up in the recovery room with a vague pain in his chest, for once having nothing to do directly with his heart. He recalled asking for Sasuke, but being too out of it to recall what the nurses said to him.

His head still carried a bit of that fog and his chest still hurt, the pain a little less vague and more localized. A dry tongue licked at equally dry lips in a futile attempt to moisten them. He shifted his gaze around the room until it landed on where Sasuke was dozing in the chair at his bedside with his neck contorted in such a way that he was sure to have one hell of a stiff muscle when he finally woke up.

Opening his mouth to speak, only a small croak escaped. Damn, he sounded like a frog. He was certain they had done the operation on his chest, not his throat. Another futile licking of his lips and he tried again, this time a bit more successful in his endeavor. "What's a guy...got to do...to get a drink?"

Sasuke's eyes flew open and he sat up quickly. "You're awake."

"Captain Obvious here." Naruto slumped back against the pillows. His brain was so foggy, that lame line was the best he could come up with.

"Do you need anything?"

Naruto would have chuckled at Sasuke's ignoring of the comment. Instead, he licked his lips and nodded. "Water."

Sasuke grabbed a styrofoam cup of water and brought the straw to Naruto's lips. The water was room temperature, but given how dry he felt, it was the best thing that had ever crossed his lips. He tried to gulp it down, but Sasuke being the bastard that he was, pulled it back after only a few sips.

"More," grumbled Naruto, only to be denied.

"You shouldn't drink too much too quickly. It will make you sick."

Naruto heaved a sigh; he was too tired to fight, though he managed to get in a muttered 'bastard' before his heavy eyes fluttered closed once more.

When next he woke, it was to the sound of quietly spoken words. "You know, if you're going to talk about me, you could at least leave the room."

Both Itachi and Sasuke turned to Naruto. Sasuke sent a small smile in his direction and Itachi maintained an almost emotionless stare.

"Glad to see you're awake." Itachi moved to his bedside and tore a strip of paper from the ECG. "The pacemaker is working perfectly and the procedure went through without a hitch."

There was a smug undertone to Itachi's words that caused Naruto to roll his eyes. "So, when can I get out of here? Sasuke and I have to make up for lost time."

"I'm going to keep you here for a couple of days to monitor you." His dark eyes shifted between his brother and Naruto. "No funny business."

Naruto pouted. Not that he would ever try to hump Sasuke in the hospital. That was just wrong.

When he and Sasuke were alone, Naruto grinned and relaxed against the bed. "I bet Itachi is watching my monitor from the nurse's station just to make sure we aren't fooling around."

Sasuke arched a brow. "Probably."

Naruto's brows bobbed up and down. "Want to fool around?"

Sasuke looked torn between reprimanding him and laughing. "Do you even feel like fooling around?"

"I always feel like fooling around." Naruto moved over in the bed and patted the white coverlet.

Sasuke smiled and settled with him on the bed. "Let's wait until we get home to fool around."

Naruto gave a low, playful whine. "Spoilsport."

"I don't want to deal with Itachi. Like you said, he's probably watching."

The chuckle that rumbled from Naruto's chest caused his small surgical scar beneath his collarbone to ache slightly. "He comes off as a pervert. It's always the quiet ones you have to look out for."

Sasuke sighed as the laid together on the small bed. "Naruto, I was thinking about some things while you were in surgery."

"What's that?" Naruto sensed the seriousness of Sasuke's tone and a small trickle of fear worked through him. Sasuke couldn't be preparing the words to leave him. He said he wouldn't and Naruto had finally accepted that Sasuke was in it for the long haul.

"I was thinking that it might be more convenient if we moved in together."

Those were certainly not the words Naruto was expecting to hear. "Come again?"

"I want you to live with me. You bitch about how my apartment has no life, well why don't you change that? Itachi and I are independently wealthy. We don't need to work. I can afford anything you want. We can go pick out furniture and whatever else you want to make my apartment less bare."

Naruto floundered for a moment before speaking. His mind, usually quick to analyze was suddenly very empty. Sasuke wanted him to move in with him? He wanted them to live together?

His heart picked up its pace, the sound suddenly very loud in his ears. "Sasuke...are you sure?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't."

Naruto swallowed the thick lump in his throat. "You do know I suck at cooking, right?"

"I'll cook for you, that way I can make sure that you don't eat a lot of junk food."

"I've a bad habit of drinking out of the milk carton."

Sasuke smiled against Naruto's chest. "So do I."

"You're really, really sure?" asked Naruto.

Sasuke lifted his head and stared into Naruto's eyes. "I'm sure."

Sudden Naruto felt as if he had come home. For the first time since his grandfather had died, he felt as if he was finally where he belonged.

To be continued.


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto sat staring at Itachi from across the length of the exam room. "If you're telling me I have to give up sex, you had better take another look at those numbers. Because I'm horny as hell and living with Sasuke doesn't help in that respect."

"And if giving up sex would extend your life?"

"I call bull shit on that. If anything, giving it up would shorten it considerably. What about all those studies that say sexual release help with stress? I'm a guy. If you kill my opportunity for sex, you might as well kill me."

Itachi shrugged a shoulder. "They were done on healthy people."

Naruto pulled a well rumpled paper from his pocket and glared at Itachi. "I've had to give up salt, fat, and greasy and delicious hamburgers. I am not, and I repeat, not going to give up sex too. You might as well kill me now."

There was an expanse of silence before Itachi chuckled and took a seat on the black rolling stool in the exam room. "Did I say you had to give up sex?"

"You all but implied." Naruto folded his arms and pursed his lips in a small pout. "I mean, even Sasuke has been abstaining. I offered to blow him, but he said no."

Itachi wrinkled his nose and held up a hand. "I'd rather not hear details of my brother's sex life."

"Please Itachi. The lack of sex is adding more stress than abstaining avoids."

"Let's see what your pacemaker reads first."

Sliding closer to Naruto, Itachi gestured for him to lie back on the table and pushed a machine closer. Placing a receiver on Naruto's chest directly above the small scar from the pacemaker insertion, he stared at the readout from the machine with an intense gaze.

Naruto swallowed the thick lump in his throat. It wasn't so much the sex that he wanted, though that was a delight he did long for. It was more that feeling of intimacy that came with it. He and Sasuke were intimate. Naruto held Sasuke cuddled against his chest every night. They had intimate moments, but for men, sex equated intimacy. They weren't women. They needed that physical connection.

"What's the verdict? Should I just go ahead and join a monastery?"

"Don't be impatient." Itachi printed out the results and clipped them in the chart. "Your pacemaker is doing what it should and surprisingly, that little bit of support has temporarily stabilized your heart. Think of it as a crutch, taking some of the strain from your heart by helping to keep it in rhythm. It's a Band-Aid, but I would rather keep you as healthy as possible for as long as possible. All we can do is monitor you for now. You've been taking your medication?"

"This sucks," grumbled Naruto though he nodded affirmatively to Itachi. He'd had a lifetime of his heart being shitty, but now that he had found Sasuke, it was even more of a bitter medicine to swallow.

"You love my brother."

"Did you think I didn't?"

Itachi sighed and shrugged a shoulder. "It's not that. We both know what is coming and I don't want to see him get hurt."

"Not much we can do about it. I'm not leaving him. I don't think I can go back to being alone again, not after having someone like that."

"I'm not asking you to. I'm glad he found you. I'm glad he finally has someone."

"Me too."

A smile curved Itachi's lips. He stood and moved to the door of the exam room. "Take care of him."

Naruto stared at the empty doorway. He supposed that was as much of a blessing as he was going to get from the man. A sudden though broke through his mind. "What a minute, you asshole. What about my question? I want to have sex, damn it."

Itachi was standing by the desk where his newly hired receptionist looked as if she was going to expire from embarrassment. "I'm afraid my schedule is full," said Itachi with a smirk.

"You asshole. You know what I meant."

The smirk on Itachi's lips widened. "Fine. You have my permission to engage in sexual pleasures with my little brother, just try not to get overly excited."

"Can't promise that." Naruto glanced at the red faced receptionist and gave a small choking laugh. He felt his own face growing as red as the woman. Well, this was embarrassing.

"Sorry about that..." He glanced at the small plaque containing her name. "...Hinata."

"It's alright," she mumbled, the red nowhere near leaving her cheeks. "It's obvious Dr. Uchiha likes you."

Naruto snorted. "Is that what that is?"

Itachi rolled his eyes and scribbled out a prescription. "Take these every day and have Hinata set you up with an appointment in a couple of weeks. I'm going to keep a close eye on you."

"Should I feel flattered?"

Itachi ignored him and turned to make his way to his office. "I expect you to call me if anything happens."

"You wish," shouted Naruto before turning a brilliant smile on Hinata. "Hey, I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

Hinata smiled shyly and took Naruto's offered hand. "Hinata Hyuuga."

"So, what is it like working for Dr. Asshole? Spill all the juicy bits."

"I'm not really sure. I just started a few days ago." She glanced around as if looking for anything to draw her away from her embarrassment. "He's very nice."

Naruto groaned dramatically. "You're no fun. Well, keep an eye out for any blackmail material. I'll pay you good for it."

Her eyes went wide and her lips moved though no sound escaped. Naruto suddenly felt bad for her and gave her a small pat on the head. "Hey, I was kidding. He's kinda like my brother-in-law, so it's alright for me to fuck with him."

She blinked several times before smiling. "I wasn't aware Dr. Uchiha had a sister."

"He's got a brother."

She frowned in confusion before red flushed her cheeks again. "Oh...oh!"

Naruto grinned and took the card marked with the date of his next appointment from her limp fingers. "I'll see you next time, Hinata. Don't let that asshole bully you. I think he's good at it."

With a smile on his face, Naruto left the office and made his way outside. It was nice to leave the building on his feet instead of being tossed out on his ass. Sasuke had a meeting with one of his editors for his boring ass book, but promised to pick him up as soon as it was over. The sun was warm, so Naruto settled on the very bench he and Sasuke had sat on when they met. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back to bask in the sun.

Cool lips brushed his and he smiled into the kiss. There was no mistaking that taste of peppermint and spice. "You're a little late."

"Meeting ran over. What did Itachi say?"

"That I am a sexy beast."

Sasuke glared and gave a slight tug to Naruto's tussled blond hair. "You know what I mean."

"You're not disputing the sexy beast thing."

"Because you are a sexy beast." Sasuke placed another kiss on Naruto's lips. "Now, what did he say?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "That I should be careful not to get too excited. I told him that would be impossible since you are too sexy for words."

Sasuke gave a sniff. "So what exactly does that mean?"

"It means that I am going to rock your world as soon as we get home."

Sasuke chuckled. "Then you're going to have to wait a while. I'm tired of you complaining about the furniture, or lack thereof."

"So?"

"So," said Sasuke with a smirk. "We're going shopping."

Naruto released a pitiful whine. "Sasuke...you're killing me."

"Relax." Sasuke's hand stroked down Naruto's chest, ghosting lightly over Naruto's groin in a teasing stroke. "I'll take care of you later."

"Is that a promise?"

Sasuke grinned and tugged Naruto to his feet. "It is."

"Fine. Let's go shopping."

oOo

Naruto balked as they entered a high end furniture establishment. The furnishings were seriously overpriced even if the quality was impeccable. It was not the sort of place Naruto ever shopped, having gotten what little furniture he'd bought at the local Goodwill.

"Well?" asked Sasuke.

"Well what?" Naruto blinked dumbly at Sasuke. What the fuck did he want him to do?

"Go shop."

"Wait a minute. You're living there too, you know."

Sasuke smirked and shrugged as a saleswoman began approaching them. "I'll hold the right to veto any decision you make."

"Ass," grumbled Naruto as the woman with the false smile plastered on her face arrived to greet them. "Making me do all the work is a shitty thing to do. I'm an invalid."

"Bullshit," purred Sasuke in Naruto's ear. "You couldn't be an invalid even if you tried."

Then he turned to the saleswoman. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha and this is Naruto. We're going to be buying a lot of furniture today. Make sure he gets what he wants."

"Yes, sir." She snapped to attention and eyed Naruto with a discerning eye. For a moment, he thought it would be a repeat of that snooty receptionist in Itachi's office.

The two stared each other down, Naruto preparing to bristle in indignation before the woman's smile shifted from false to real. There must have been something in him that she approved of, because it sure as hell could not be his comfortably worn jeans and baggy tee-shirt. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Naruto. My name is Sakura. What sort of furniture are you looking for?"

"Umm...comfortable?"

Sakura giggled and gave Naruto a wink. "I know that. I mean pieces. Do you need a sofa?"

"Actually, that is the one piece we don't need. We do need some pillows for it, though."

Sakura tapped a manicured nail against her chin. "What about chairs?"

"We don't have any."

Nodding her head, she linked an arm into the curve of Naruto's elbow and led him towards the living area furniture. "Then first we need to give some variety to your living space with some chairs."

Naruto eyed the majority of furnishings arranged to complement each other in little mini living room set ups. The problem sparking in his brain caused his eye to twitch. "Why the hell is everything brown?"

Sakura nodded in understanding. "That has been one of the complaints of recent from several of our customers. The earth tones this season do not seem to be going over well with the majority of our clientele. Lucky for you, while most sofas are in earth tones, we have a lovely selection of chairs that are meant to complement a solid sofa and loveseat pairing."

"I'll take your word for it." He allowed her to lead him to a chair. It was comfortably designed, appearing white with large multicolored circles. His eyes began to grow dizzy just staring at the chair. He glanced to Sasuke with a cocked brow.

Sasuke snorted. "Not on your life. Pick something else."

Sakura was not discouraged and escorted the two around the store to each arrangement. "What about this chair. It's a nice floral..."

Naruto cleared his throat and glanced at Sakura. "Uh, Sakura...I may be gay...but I'm not that gay."

Sakura blushed and continued to escort them around the show floor until they happened upon a dark blue stripped chair. Naruto sat in it, wiggling down and leaning against the plush, yet firm back. "This one is nice."

"It's not bad," Sasuke conceded.

Naruto ran his hands along the material and then glanced to Sakura. "I want this one."

Sakura pulled out her notepad and jotted down the serial number of the chair. "What else?"

"Those end tables over there." Naruto pointed to a set of cherry wood end tables. The tops were plain, but the legs bore beautifully crafted swirls and waves.

Naruto glanced around, now getting into the shopping. Sasuke simply trailed behind him with a smirk curling his lip.

By the time Sakura totaled the purchases, Naruto had collapsed onto one of the floor model sofas. They had practically bought out the store and ended up with two chairs, 2 end tables, one coffee table, 2 dressers, numerous paintings, a few floor lamps, and two rather bright orange throw pillows for Sasuke's black sofa. He watched through hooded eyes as Sasuke pulled out that magical platinum card and handed it to Sakura. There would be no payment plan for him. Everything was paid for immediately. It was a new experience for Naruto.

"How are you feeling?" Sasuke knelt beside Naruto and placed a hand directly over his heart.

"Just a little tired. I'm not used to so much shopping."

"Neither am I." Sasuke wrapped a hand around Naruto's wrist and tugged him up. "Let's go home."

"What about the furniture?"

"They'll deliver it in a week after retrieving it from the warehouse." Sasuke drew Naruto from the store after having left Sakura a sizable commission from the sale. "Let's go home, Naruto."

Naruto yawned and stretched. He didn't bother to fight Sasuke. Home. He rather liked the sound of that.

The ride home was a blur of dozing to the sound of smooth jazz. He barely had any energy to do more than follow slowly behind Sasuke as they walked into the apartment building.

Sex, as much as he wanted it, was the last thing on his mind as he crashed on their bed and nosed at Sasuke's pillow. Sasuke's faint scent of sandalwood and mint caused a low purr to rumble from his chest.

God, Sasuke always smelled so damn good. It was a shame he was so tired. He would have liked to make good on his promise to fuck Sasuke sooner rather than later.

He barely registered as Sasuke pulled off his shoes and jeans from his hips. He simply nosed the pillow and moved where directed before finally sliding deeper into repose.

oOo

It was not until hours later that Naruto woke, feeling comfortably warm and blissfully content. Sasuke was pressed against his back, curling around him with his face nuzzled into his hair. A long arm was draped over his chest with fingers curling lightly against his abdomen. A glance at the clock showed the time to be shortly after six. He couldn't believe how long he had slept, nearly twelve hours without stirring.

Groaning, he moved so that he faced Sasuke and lightly shifted him onto his back. They had taken to sleeping partially clothed, more so to avoid temptation while Naruto waited for a somewhat clean bill of health from Itachi—or at least clean enough to allow for actions of a more intimate nature. His gaze drifted over Sasuke's sleeping face, taking in the sooty lashes lying against the curve of cheeks. Lips were slightly parted and the faintest of snores escaped.

The sound brought a snicker from him. Who would have thought someone as good-looking and refined as Sasuke would be a snorer?

With his smile firmly in place, he traced his finger down Sasuke's slightly stubbly cheek and over his lips. They were moist and soft, tempting Naruto to steal a kiss. His heart picked up its beat and for a moment he panicked. A repeat of their previous encounter, as wonderful as that moment was, was not something he wanted to repeat. Especially not if those two asshole EMTs were on call.

It took several seconds for him to calm himself enough to continue. The material of his boxers was tinted and his pulse slightly thready. But...it was within the sort of fucked up normal range where he was concerned. His pacemaker would take care of the rest, or at least he hoped it would. He could feel his pacemaker give a little charge, sort of like a dumbed down static shock. It didn't hurt, it just felt strange. At least the piece of crap was working. He figured as time went on, he would grow to ignore the little shocks.

Drawing his hand down Sasuke's chest, he pushed the thin wife beater up to reveal the pale chest and abdomen. Rippled stomach muscles rose and fell with each breath. It was not his stomach, however, that drew Naruto, but his chest. Pressing his ear to Sasuke's chest, he listened to the firm and steady beat. It felt strange when Naruto's sad little heart attempted to fall in tune with Sasuke's. It caused an ached that had nothing to do with physiology. His heart loved Sasuke. It was dying, but had fallen in love with him all the same.

Just like Naruto.

He allowed himself only the briefest moment of self-pity. He was Naruto Uzumaki. He might have a severely stunted lifespan, but he was not one to cry and whine over spilled milk. Living each day as if it was his last was something Jiraiya taught him to believe in. He could die in a car crash or from a falling piano. He had let his motto slip in the last year, but no more. He would love Sasuke with every fiber of his being, regardless of whether they had a year or only a month. When it was time for him to go, he would embrace it willingly with Sasuke's name on his lips.

"I love you, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes fluttered open and sleep hazy eyes gaze at Naruto. "Me too," he rumbled in a thick voice.

Naruto grinned and leaned in for that awaited kiss. Their lips meshed and their tongues dueled. Morning breath was forgotten in favor of the perfection of the kiss. He needed this affirmation from Sasuke so badly.

Their positions shifted and Sasuke moved to lie atop Naruto, his face pulling back just enough to allow their eyes to meet. "You're hard."

"I can tell the feeling is mutual." Naruto stroked his hands beneath Sasuke's shirt and sighed at the smooth feel of skin stretched taut over muscle and bone. His hands traced the line of Sasuke's spine, paying attention to each nob on his back until they reached the curve of his buttocks.

"Always something to say." Sasuke lowered his head and nuzzled at the curve of Naruto's jaw. His teeth nipped lightly at the skin before nibbling a path down to his collarbone and then to the small pink scar and small bulge of flesh where the pacemaker rested.

"It keeps things from being boring," gasped out Naruto. Damn, Sasuke certainly knew how to use his mouth.

Sasuke lifted his head to live an amused smirk on Naruto before working his way down to his chest. This was supposed to be Naruto seducing Sasuke, but instead, their roles seemed to be reversed. It was Sasuke who was worshiping his body with his lips, tongue, and teeth.

Naruto growled low in his throat when teeth nipped at his navel. His heart was pounding and his pacemaker was giving the occasional little pulse in response. He wondered how far from or close to normal his heart was pumping with the aid of the little device.

"You okay?"

Naruto glanced down to see Sasuke just above his boxer clad erection. A small bit of moisture was dampening the material. Was he alright? No, he sure as hell was not. He needed to get off so bad, he was sure he was going to shoot off like an opened bottle of champagne at New Years.

"Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and put a hand on Sasuke's head so to push him downward. "I'm good."

Sasuke chuckled and extracted Naruto's hand from his hair. "We'll go slow."

"I said I'm good." He was a bit offended at the snail's pace. He might not be able to do crazy adrenaline sex such as having sex while sky diving or the more kinky side of normal, but he could take a pounding pretty easily.

"Good," said Sasuke. "Then I can take my time."

Naruto groaned and flopped back against the pillows. "Bastard."

"Slow doesn't have to mean boring." Sasuke's teeth took the edge of Naruto's boxers and tugged them down with the occasional help of his hands and tossed them aside. His nose nuzzled at the warm flesh before his tongue darted out and swiped over the crested tip.

"Son of a bitch."

Naruto had given and received blowjobs before. It was nothing new and Sasuke wasn't skirting more than the edge of basic, but still having Sasuke's tongue stroke over the tip of his erection...well it felt beyond good.

And having those long slender fingers wrapping around his balls bordered on amazing.

"See what I mean?"

Naruto grumbled under his breath when the warm mouth was removed from his dick. He watched as Sasuke sat back on his haunches and smiled smugly at him. Asshole.

Sasuke pulled away and reached into the bedside table to extract a bottle of lubricant and a condom. "Any objections to me topping first?"

Naruto's cock had no objections as it jerked and dribbled a bit of cum onto his stomach. "Do I look like I care?"

Sasuke snorted and spread the lube on a finger. Naruto hissed and grunted at the press of fingers inside him. There was no rushed pumping, only the slow glide of slicked fingers in and out. His anus clenched in reflex. The fingers were nice as they played along the nerves around the opening, but it was a fuller, deeper penetration that he wanted.

"I'm good," he mumbled and rolled his hips.

Sasuke ignored him and continued to pump his fingers while his free hand gave the occasional leisurely pump of Naruto's erection. It was obvious Sasuke was not going to do anything until he was good and ready to do it.

"God...Sasuke, I'm dying here." No pun intended, he mentally added.

Something in his voice had an obvious effect on Sasuke and he withdrew his fingers. The loss was regrettable, but the knowledge of more to come more than made up for the temporary emptiness.

With deft fingers, Sasuke rolled the condom onto his penis and gave a small pump of his hands. His eyes closed and his lips parted. Naruto had never seen Sasuke look as sexy as he did while masturbating. Damn. His heart was sure to give out if he had to watch much longer.

Playing the submissive wasn't really Naruto's style. He latched a hand around Sasuke's wrist and tugged his hand away. With a snarky grin, he straddled Sasuke's thighs and rubbed his ass against the latex clad erection.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Naruto's grin never left his lips. "Having my way with you."

Sasuke's lips quirked and his hips gave a little thrust. "So I see."

Their lips met again, this time a bit more desperation bled into the kiss. Their tongues slid slickly over each other and Naruto's hands clung to Sasuke's shoulders. Sasuke was one damn good kisser.

While he distracted Sasuke with the kiss, or maybe it was him that was being distracted, his hand grabbed the tube of lubricant and spread the slick over Sasuke. He was surprised that his heart continued to maintain a relatively steady beat as he angled his hips and pressed down.

Sasuke pulled back from the kiss and gasped. His body shuddered as he drove Naruto down onto the bed and looped his arms beneath slightly bent legs to pull his body into an easier position. "You are determined to make me lose control."

"Would that be so bad?" panted Naruto.

"It's not going to work."

"We'll see about that."

Sasuke growled and shifted Naruto's weight. He gave a small thrust and both released a grunt.

"You're bigger than you look," grunted Naruto. He wasn't a virgin by any means, but damn, Sasuke hadn't looked _that_ big. It felt as if he was being split in two.

Sasuke pressed their brows together and panted. "Don't you ever shut up?"

"No." Naruto shifted his hips and gasped at the burning pleasure. "But please, keep trying to make me."

The banter was finished because when Sasuke began his slow thrusts, Naruto lost all brain function. His hands lifted to Sasuke's chest, running over the sweat slick skin, brushing nipples and digging nails into the unblemished skin on his sides. He might have thought he wanted it hard and fast, but Sasuke was right, slow and steady was pretty damn awesome too.

Sasuke withdrew slowly, and Naruto moaned at the loss only to be shifted to his side and entered once more. The new angle caused a shudder work through him. "Shit, Sasuke."

Sasuke smirked and began moving again. His hand shifted to Naruto's erection and pumped in a counter rhythm to his thrusts. With it being as slow as it was, his stamina should have lasted for much longer. It was not often that an orgasm crept up on him. He barely had a chance to prepare himself before his body began shuddering uncontrollably. Cum shot from the tip of his penis and over Sasuke's hand. "Oh, fuck!"

Sasuke stopped all movement and continued to pump Naruto's erection through the orgasm. Naruto was in bliss and road out the pulsing spasms until he collapsed with a satisfied groan.

"That was fast."

"Don't even start," panted Naruto.

Sasuke slid free and began pumping himself. Naruto had enough mind to roll over and stop the movements. His hands gave a firm push and he slid the condom from Sasuke's very angry looking cock. He smacked his lips before engulfing the entire length in his mouth and throat. He knew he gave good head and could deep throat with the best of them.

If his own quick orgasm was embarrassing, he was sure Sasuke's was doubly so. The moment his mouth swallowed the shaft, Sasuke gave a shout and arched his back. Cum shot thick and warm down his throat in several hard pulses.

Naruto swallowed it down, not pulling back until he felt the first sign of softening. He smacked his lips and fought back a grimace. He never really liked the taste of cum. He didn't mind it, but it wasn't this amazing ambrosia porn novels made it out to be. It was thick and bitter. He had read a cookbook once on how to cook with cum and gagged with each page. Who the fuck would want to eat their own cum in a meal, let alone serve it to guests?

He immediately stood while Sasuke lay panting and completely limp. Walking slowly to the bathroom, he gargled and rinsed his mouth with the mouthwash before returning to find Sasuke still a limp pile of post coital bliss. "I know I give good head, but damn."

Sasuke's eyes slid open. "Are you alright?"

"If you keep asking me that, I'm going to spank you."

A dark brow arched and a faint blush tinted Sasuke's cheeks. Naruto's brows rose equally high. "Oh, Sasuke, you kinky devil. The next thing you know I'll have you dolled up in black leather and taking a paddle to your rear."

"Idiot," snapped Sasuke, though the blush never left his cheeks and Naruto was certain he saw it darken a shade at the mention of a paddle.

Naruto snickered and flopped on the bed beside Sasuke, curling against him and basking in the heat of his body. His heart felt a little off kilter, but he could feel the pacemaker giving the organ the occasional little jolt to ensure it was pumping at a regular pace. He had to admit that he did feel a bit better with the little machine in him. It seemed as if he had a little more energy.

"This was just what I need," he sighed happily. His body was happy and his heart was well...his heart.

Being with Sasuke just felt right, like all the planets in his solar system lined up. What he felt for him went beyond anything he had ever felt before. Sasuke understood him. He didn't try to push him beyond what his body could take and he didn't seem the least bit bothered by Naruto's limitations. They just made sense.

"I love you, Sasuke."

Sasuke lifted his head and stared down into Naruto's face. "Me too."

Naruto relaxed against Sasuke once more. Yeah. No matter what the future brought or how much time they had, the two of them made sense.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter in this story. Thank you to everyone who gave kudos.


End file.
